Alabama Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Automatic Sliding Door Allegedly Injures Her Shoulder Aboard Carnival Spirit
Trenna Boland, a resident of Decatur, Alabama, has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation, alleging she suffered serious shoulder injuries after being struck by a malfunctioning automatic sliding door while aboard the Carnival Spirit. The lawsuit, filed on November 14, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida under Case No. 1:25-cv-25321, seeks damages exceeding $250,000.
Cruise Passenger Claims Door Suddenly Closed and Struck Her on Lido Deck Near Blue Iguana Cantina
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on December 8, 2024, while the Carnival Spirit was sailing between Mobile, Alabama, and Key West, Florida. Boland was walking on the Lido Deck near the Blue Iguana Cantina when she approached an open automatic glass sliding door leading to an outdoor deck space. As she attempted to pass through, the door allegedly suddenly and forcefully closed, striking her right shoulder and arm.
The impact caused an audible pop and immediate intense pain. Boland, who had a prior history of shoulder surgery, reported the incident to Guest Services and was taken to the infirmary, where shipboard medical staff provided x-rays, pain medication, and a sling. After returning home, she underwent weeks of treatment, including physical therapy, MRIs, and ultimately shoulder surgery in May 2025 to address impingement syndrome and adhesive capsulitis.
Lawsuit Cites Carnival’s Alleged History of Door Malfunctions and Failure to Fix Flawed Sensor Design
Boland alleges that Carnival was aware of a defect in the sensor mechanism used in its automatic sliding doors. The complaint claims that the doors sometimes fail to detect passengers walking through, allowing them to close despite someone being in the threshold. Her legal team asserts that Carnival has known of this flaw for years, citing multiple prior incidents across its fleet that allegedly caused injuries similar to Boland’s.
The lawsuit argues that Carnival failed to inspect, repair, or replace the problematic door system, and allowed the condition to exist for an “unreasonably long period” in a heavily trafficked passenger area. It further states that the cruise line failed to provide warnings, such as signage or crew intervention, about the door’s closing hazard.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Shoulder Injuries, Loss of Income, and Diminished Quality of Life
Boland brings two counts of negligence against Carnival:
- Negligent creation of a dangerous condition by allowing the defective door mechanism to remain in use despite prior incidents and passenger traffic.
- Negligent failure to warn of a hidden hazard not open or obvious to passengers.
She alleges the incident caused her to suffer permanent damage to her right shoulder, emotional distress, medical expenses, and loss of capacity to earn income. Her ongoing symptoms include pain, reduced range of motion, and reliance on continued physical therapy.
Boland is demanding a jury trial and seeks compensatory damages for her injuries, past and future medical care, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Injured by a Malfunctioning Cruise Ship Door? Learn About Your Legal Rights Today
Cruise lines have a duty to provide reasonably safe premises, including functioning automatic doors that do not pose sudden injury risks to passengers. Repeated incidents involving faulty door sensors can expose cruise lines to liability for known safety failures.
If you or a loved one was injured by a defective door or other hazardous condition aboard a cruise ship, our experienced maritime attorneys can help.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise injury lawyer about your legal options.
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.
