Carnival Cruise Line Sued After Broken Barstool Injury on Carnival Conquest
Beverly Austin, a Florida resident, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:25-cv-25459-FAM, alleges that Austin suffered serious injuries after a barstool collapsed beneath her while she was seated at the Artist’s Lobby Bar aboard the Carnival Conquest on November 30, 2024.
Carnival Passenger Falls After Defective Barstool Collapses in Lobby Bar on Deck 3
According to the complaint, Austin was sitting on a barstool in the Artist’s Lobby on Deck 3 when the stool suddenly broke, causing her to fall violently to the floor. The incident allegedly occurred just one day after Austin and her companions had notified a bartender—identified as a Carnival crew member—about a visibly defective stool in the same area. They reported seeing another passenger nearly fall from the stool prior to Austin’s own injury.
The lawsuit asserts that Carnival failed to respond to this warning and allowed a hazardous condition to persist despite notice. Austin claims that Carnival should have either repaired or removed the unstable stool or placed warnings to alert passengers to the risk.
Cruise Line Allegedly Knew About Dangerous Seating Based on Prior Barstool Collapse Incidents
Austin’s legal team argues that Carnival had both actual and constructive knowledge of the risks posed by unsecured and defective furniture. The complaint cites at least eight prior lawsuits involving similar incidents of passengers falling from broken chairs or barstools across multiple Carnival ships. These include:
- L.P. v. Carnival Breeze (chair base broke)
- K.I. v. Carnival Vista (chair collapsed unexpectedly)
- C.L. v. Carnival Sunrise (defective barstool fall in July 2024)
- T.M. v. Carnival Spirit (barstool collapse in April 2024)
These and other cases are referenced as evidence that Carnival has a history of injuries linked to seating failures aboard its vessels.
Austin further alleges that Carnival may have settled additional similar claims confidentially, shielding the scope of the issue from the public. Her complaint accuses Carnival of concealing prior incidents and neglecting to act on knowledge that its furniture posed an unreasonable risk to passengers.
Complaint Alleges Carnival Failed to Warn, Maintain, and Supervise Bar Area Furniture
Austin’s lawsuit brings three counts against Carnival: negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to maintain, and vicarious liability. The complaint alleges that Carnival breached its duty to exercise reasonable care by failing to inspect, monitor, and maintain passenger seating areas, and by failing to warn guests about the risk of injury from unstable barstools.
According to the filing, Carnival had policies and procedures in place requiring the inspection and tagging of damaged furniture and the placement of caution signs or barriers when chairs were unsafe for use. The lawsuit claims these procedures were either ignored or not properly enforced in Austin’s case. The crew allegedly failed to close off or flag the defective barstool despite being warned the day before the incident.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Physical Injuries, Medical Costs, and Loss of Cruise Enjoyment
As a result of the fall, Austin claims she suffered injuries to her body and extremities, emotional distress, and an inability to lead a normal life. The complaint states that she incurred medical and hospital expenses and that her injuries are permanent and continuing in nature. In addition to compensation for pain and suffering, she seeks damages for the cost of the cruise, future medical care, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Contact a Cruise Ship Injury Attorney If You Were Hurt Due to Unsafe Furniture on Board
Cruise lines are responsible for ensuring that passenger areas, including bars and lounges, are free from defective furniture and other hazards. If you or someone you know was injured due to a collapsing chair or barstool on a cruise, you may be entitled to compensation under maritime law. Our experienced legal team can help determine whether negligence or prior knowledge by the cruise line contributed to your injury.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship injury lawyer in Florida.
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.
