California Resident Sues Princess Cruise Lines After Falling During Boarding of Sapphire Princess
Victoria Weber, a resident of California, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-22158-WPD, alleges that Weber suffered permanent and debilitating injuries while attempting to board the Sapphire Princess on April 8, 2025. According to the complaint, Weber was following the directions of ship personnel when a crew member’s negligence caused her to fall at a designated assisted-device entrance.
Elderly Passenger Injured on Sapphire Princess Due to Dangerous Threshold Ramp and Crew Negligence
The incident occurred at approximately 2 pm while the 84 year old plaintiff was attempting to board the vessel using a walker. Because she required a mobility device, ship personnel directed her to the seventh floor assisted-device entrance. The complaint alleges that this specific area contained a dangerous condition consisting of a short threshold ramp that did not properly extend over a metal lip, creating a gap that made it difficult to safely maneuver a walker. Princess was allegedly aware of this hazard and had stationed two crew members at the threshold to assist passengers. However, as the crew members were lifting Weber’s walker across the gap, one unidentified crew member suddenly dropped the device. This caused the walker to thrust forward, pulling the elderly plaintiff down onto the interior floor of the ship entrance.
Princess Cruise Lines Accused of Failing to Maintain Safe Ingress and Warning of Known Boarding Hazards
The lawsuit asserts that Princess breached its non-delegable duty to provide safe ingress and egress to the vessel. Weber’s legal team argues that the cruise line failed to provide a reasonably safe place to walk and failed to provide effective physical assistance despite the plaintiff’s reliance on their instructions. The complaint notes that the dangerous area was not blocked off by ropes or stanchions to prevent passenger contact with the gap, nor were there warning signs posted to alert passengers of the uneven surface. Weber alleges that the cruise line maintains detailed internal safety management systems and policies, pursuant to international regulations like the Safety of Life at Sea convention, yet failed to enforce these standards to correct the specific boarding hazard she encountered.
Lawsuit Cites Prior Incidents Involving Improperly Installed Ramps and Scooters on Princess Vessels
To establish that the defendant had notice of the risks associated with boarding ramps and mobility devices, the complaint points to several prior lawsuits involving Princess Cruise Lines. These include cases such as Prince v. Princess, Smarr v. Princess, and Cox v. Princess, which involved passengers suffering injuries due to non-compliant ramps or securing issues with wheelchairs and scooters. The plaintiff also alleges that Princess may be concealing other similar incidents through confidential settlement agreements. Weber contends that it was reasonably foreseeable that a passenger with a walker would be injured if a crew member negligently handled a mobility device over a poorly maintained or improperly installed threshold ramp.
Plaintiff Seeks Recovery for Comminuted Fracture and Permanent Disability Following Boarding Fall
The legal action includes four counts against Princess Cruise Lines: vicarious liability, negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to inspect and maintain, and general negligence. As a direct result of the fall, Weber reportedly suffered a comminuted displaced fracture of her left distal radius and an ulnar styloid fracture, both of which required surgical repair. The lawsuit states she has experienced physical pain, mental anguish, and a permanent loss of enjoyment of life, in addition to losing the value of her vacation and transportation costs. The plaintiff seeks a jury trial and a judgment for all recoverable damages, alleging that her injuries are continuing in nature and will require ongoing medical care.
Contact a Cruise ship Boarding Injury Lawyer if You Were Hurt Due to Crew Negligence or Unsafe Ramps
Passengers who suffer injuries while boarding a cruise ship due to negligent assistance, improper ramp design, or a failure to warn of threshold hazards may be entitled to significant compensation under general maritime law. Cruise operators have a high duty of care to ensure that elderly passengers and those using mobility devices can safely enter and exit the vessel without encountering hidden dangers. If you or a loved one experienced a fall or injury while embarking or disembarking a ship, our experienced maritime attorneys are prepared to help you hold the cruise line accountable.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship slip and fall attorney.
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.
