Florida Passenger Sues Royal Caribbean After Slip and Fall on Wet Staircase Aboard Independence of the Seas
Merihia Hickok, a resident of Florida, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Group in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-20427-RKA, alleges that Hickok suffered severe and permanent injuries after slipping on a wet and poorly maintained staircase while aboard the Independence of the Seas on September 23, 2024.
Passenger Injured Descending Stairs Near Lido Deck Due to Slippery Substances and Worn Safety Strips
According to the complaint, the incident took place while the vessel was in navigable waters. Hickok was on Deck 12 in an outdoor area located one level above the Lido Deck and main pool area. As she attempted to descend the staircase from Deck 12 to Deck 11, she suddenly slipped and fell. The lawsuit claims that the staircase surface was dangerously slippery due to the presence of a foreign transitory substance. The plaintiff describes this substance as a hazardous combination of water, sunscreen, sun oil, and various skincare products such as moisturizers, soaps, and lotions.
The complaint further alleges that the dangerous condition of the walking surface was compounded by structural maintenance failures. Specifically, Hickok asserts that the subject stairs had insufficient or worn anti-slip material on the stair treads, which failed to provide necessary traction. Despite her attempt to arrest her fall by gripping the handrail, she was unsuccessful and sustained severe injuries. The filing emphasizes that the proximity of these stairs to the high-traffic Lido Deck pool area created a foreseeable risk of spills and water accumulation that the cruise line failed to adequately manage.
Lawsuit Alleges Royal Caribbean Had Notice of Dangerous Conditions Through Multiple Prior Staircase Accidents
A central element of the lawsuit is the allegation that Royal Caribbean had both actual and constructive notice of the hazardous conditions on its vessels. The plaintiff’s legal counsel argues that the cruise line was aware that the Lido Deck and surrounding staircases are high-traffic areas prone to becoming slippery with water and sunscreen. The complaint asserts that the defendant conducts regular inspections and coefficient of friction testing, which should have revealed the defect in time to remedy it or warn passengers.
To support the claim that Royal Caribbean was on notice of these specific dangers, the complaint lists numerous prior lawsuits involving substantially similar slip and fall incidents on Royal Caribbean ships. The filing cites over a dozen cases filed in the Southern District of Florida between 2013 and 2024, including LePere v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Hamilton v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Hill v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.. These past incidents involved passengers slipping on pool decks, near water attractions, or while descending stairs on vessels such as the Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas. The plaintiff argues that these prior occurrences demonstrate a systemic failure by the cruise line to address known slip hazards caused by wet surfaces and foreign substances in pool-adjacent areas.
Complaint Charges Cruise Line with Failure to Maintain Safe Walkways and Warn of Hazardous Pool Deck Conditions
Hickok brings three distinct counts of negligence against Royal Caribbean: negligent failure to warn, negligent maintenance, and general negligence. The lawsuit contends that the cruise line breached its non-delegable duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. Specifically, the plaintiff argues that Royal Caribbean failed to warn passengers that the subject area becomes unreasonably slippery when wet with a mixture of water and oil-based products. The complaint also alleges a failure to warn of the specific injury risks created by the worn anti-slip strips on the steps.
regarding the maintenance claims, the lawsuit asserts that the cruise line failed to adequately inspect the staircase to ensure the flooring surfaces were safe and free of unreasonable coefficients of friction. The plaintiff alleges that the defendant did not promulgate or enforce adequate safety policies, nor did they properly train crew members on how to maintain the stairs and identify missing safety strips. The general negligence count further accuses the cruise line of failing to design a reasonably safe deck environment and failing to engage proper safeguards to prevent passengers from being injured in these foreseeable ways.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Injuries and Lost Vacation Following Staircase Fall on Independence of the Seas
As a direct result of the fall, Hickok claims to have suffered injuries to her body and extremities, resulting in physical pain, mental anguish, disability, and permanent scarring and disfigurement. The lawsuit states that her injuries are permanent or continuing in nature and will result in future losses and impairments. Consequently, she seeks damages for medical expenses incurred for her care and treatment, lost wages, and the impairment of her working ability. Additionally, the plaintiff is seeking compensation for the lost benefit of her vacation, cruise, and transportation costs, arguing that the incident completely disrupted her travel experience.
Contact a Cruise Ship Staircase Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt Due to Unsafe Conditions
Cruise lines have a responsibility to maintain their vessels in a reasonably safe condition for all passengers. This includes ensuring that staircases, particularly those near wet pool decks, are equipped with proper non-slip materials and remain free of hazardous substances like sunscreen and oil. If you or a loved one has suffered a slip and fall injury on a cruise ship due to negligence, inadequate maintenance, or a failure to warn of dangers, you may be entitled to compensation. Our team of experienced maritime injury attorneys is ready to evaluate your case and help you understand your legal rights.
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.
