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Puerto Rico Family Sues Royal Caribbean After Child Injured on Surfside Dry Slide Aboard Icon of the Seas
Domingo Grillasca, on behalf of his minor son Emmanuel, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Group, along with Kaefer LLC and Kaefer OY, in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:25-cv-24104, alleges that Emmanuel suffered severe leg injuries while using the Surfside dry slide aboard the Icon of the Seas on June 15, 2024.
Child Passenger Allegedly Suffers Leg Injuries from Sharp Angles and Unsafe Surface on Surfside Slide
According to the complaint, Emmanuel was playing in the Surfside neighborhood, a family-focused area of the Icon of the Seas marketed for children, when he used the Surfside dry slide. The slide allegedly contained sharp 90-degree angles and a surface that created excessive friction with passengers’ clothing and shoes.
The lawsuit claims Emmanuel’s sneakers caught on the slide’s surface during descent, causing his legs to twist and strike against the slide walls. He allegedly suffered severe injuries to his legs that required medical treatment and resulted in lasting physical and emotional harm.
Royal Caribbean and Kaefer Accused of Negligent Design, Failure to Warn, and Lack of Supervision
The complaint asserts that Royal Caribbean was negligent in failing to supervise the slide, place safety mats, or provide warnings about the risks. Plaintiffs allege that unlike the Ultimate Abyss slide, which requires mats to reduce friction, the Surfside dry slide allowed children to descend without protective equipment.
Kaefer LLC and Kaefer OY, the companies involved in designing and constructing the Surfside neighborhood, are accused of negligent design, negligent manufacturing, and negligent failure to warn. The lawsuit claims the design choices made the slide inherently unsafe for children and that safer alternatives were readily available.
Complaint Cites Prior Injuries and Passenger Complaints About Surfside Slide Safety
The lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean had notice of the hazard based on prior incidents involving children injured on the same slide. Plaintiffs cite passenger complaints, online reports, and other injuries that were allegedly similar in nature. Despite this knowledge, Royal Caribbean and Kaefer failed to close, redesign, or adequately warn about the risks posed by the Surfside dry slide.
Legal Background: Product Liability in Maritime Personal Injury Cases
Although most cruise injury lawsuits focus on negligence—such as failure to warn, maintain, or supervise—some cases also raise product liability claims when a shipboard feature or equipment is alleged to be defectively designed or manufactured.
Under maritime law, passengers may bring strict products liability claims against manufacturers, designers, or suppliers of defective products aboard ships. Courts consider whether a product was defectively designed (unsafe as built), defectively manufactured (flawed compared to its intended design), or sold without adequate warnings about foreseeable risks.
When applied in the cruise context, these claims can extend to ride attractions, recreational equipment, or even structural elements of a vessel. Plaintiffs often argue that if the design itself creates an unreasonable risk of injury, both the manufacturer and the cruise line that approved or installed the design may share responsibility. Defendants, in turn, may argue that the risks were open and obvious, that proper use would have prevented injury, or that the condition complied with industry standards at the time of construction.
This makes product liability cases aboard cruise ships unique, as they often blend traditional maritime negligence claims with broader product safety principles.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Child’s Medical Care, Pain and Suffering, and Loss of Enjoyment of Cruise
The plaintiffs seek damages exceeding $75,000 for Emmanuel’s injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, and loss of enjoyment of his vacation. They also seek damages for the costs associated with ongoing care and treatment, as well as the loss of the value of their cruise vacation. A jury trial has been demanded.
Contact a Cruise Ship Injury Lawyer if Your Child Was Hurt Using an Onboard Slide or Attraction
Cruise lines are responsible for ensuring that onboard attractions marketed to families and children are designed, supervised, and maintained with passenger safety in mind. When unsafe designs or inadequate supervision lead to serious injuries, passengers may be entitled to pursue compensation under maritime law.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship child injury attorney.
Disclaimer:
Our firm does not represent the plaintiffs in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.