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Rhode Island Child Injured by Spinning Water Cannon on Norwegian Escape, Mother Files Lawsuit Against NCL
Margaret Dodge, a resident of Rhode Island, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit on behalf of her 10-year-old son, identified as E.R., against NCL (Bahamas) Ltd., the operator of the Norwegian Escape. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida under Case No. 1:25-cv-23992-RAR, alleges that the child suffered severe dental injuries after being struck in the face by a rotating steel water cannon in the ship’s kids’ splash pad area.
Child Injured by Rotating Water Cannon in Splash Pad Aboard Norwegian Escape
According to the lawsuit, the incident occurred on April 25, 2025, between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. while E.R. was playing in the Norwegian Escape’s children’s splash pad area. While engaged in typical child’s play, E.R. was struck in the mouth by a steel aquatic play structure—a water cannon capable of spinning 360 degrees. The device was allegedly turned rapidly by another child when it hit E.R. in the face, fracturing his two front permanent teeth in half and requiring surgical intervention.
The complaint argues that NCL’s failure to implement proper safety protocols, barriers, supervision, or adequate warnings led directly to the child’s injuries.
NCL Allegedly Knew Rotating Water Cannons Were Hazardous Based on Prior Incidents
The lawsuit alleges that NCL had actual and constructive notice of the dangerous nature of the rotating steel water cannon prior to E.R.’s injury. Plaintiff’s counsel references prior similar incidents involving the same type of water cannon aboard other NCL vessels, including:
- Wondoloski v. NCL (Bahamas) Ltd., Case No. 20-cv-21302-RNS (child struck in face aboard Norwegian Bliss)
- Lubart v. NCL (Bahamas) Ltd., Case No. 23-cv-24440-JAL (similar injury aboard Norwegian Bliss)
The complaint further accuses NCL of concealing the full extent of known risks by settling prior claims confidentially to shield the hazards from public knowledge, thereby avoiding corrective action across its fleet.
Lawsuit Alleges Unsafe Design, Inadequate Supervision, and Failure to Comply with Industry Safety Standards
The lawsuit brings three counts of negligence against NCL: negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to maintain, and general negligence. According to the complaint, the cruise line:
- Failed to warn passengers or place signage about the dangers of the rotating aquatic structures
- Did not provide supervision to monitor children playing in the splash pad area
- Allowed structures capable of 360-degree spinning at high speeds without safety barriers
- Installed unreasonably hard aquatic features without padding or safer materials
- Failed to comply with industry safety standards, including ASTM F2461, which governs public interactive water play areas
- Ignored or failed to analyze and act upon prior incidents involving similar structures
The complaint also highlights that no adequate inspection or maintenance policies were in place, and NCL allegedly failed to modify the splash pad area to address foreseeable risks, despite previous lawsuits involving the same design.
Child’s Injuries Include Permanent Dental Damage and Loss of Enjoyment of Vacation
As a result of the incident, E.R. suffered serious and permanent injuries, including:
- Fractured front teeth requiring surgery
- Physical pain and mental anguish
- Disability and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life and cruise activities
- Future medical treatment and associated costs
The complaint also seeks compensation for the loss of the benefit of the cruise vacation, including the monetary value of the trip, transportation, and other associated expenses. Plaintiff demands a jury trial and seeks damages exceeding $75,000.
Dangerous Water Features in Cruise Ship Splash Pads May Create Legal Liability Under Maritime Law
This case highlights a growing concern over the design and supervision of water play areas aboard cruise ships, particularly those marketed as family-friendly. Under maritime law, cruise lines owe a heightened duty of care to minor passengers and must ensure that water play areas are reasonably safe, supervised, and free from known hazards.
If your child or family member was injured due to a poorly maintained or hazardous water feature on a cruise ship, you may have legal recourse.
Contact us now to speak with an experienced maritime injury attorney for children injured on cruise ships.
Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff 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.