Florida Resident Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Trip and Fall Accident on Irregular Staircase Onboard Carnival Elation

Brittney Marcano, a resident of Florida, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-24493-KMW, alleges that Marcano suffered serious and permanent injuries after tripping on an interior carpeted staircase on Deck 12 of the Carnival Elation on July 9, 2025.

Cruise Passenger Injured on Carnival Elation Due to Inconsistent Stair Dimensions and Hidden Tripping Hazards

According to the complaint, the incident occurred while the cruise ship was navigating navigable waters. Marcano was descending an interior staircase located near the mini-golf area on Deck 12 when she encountered a hidden danger built directly into the ship’s infrastructure. The lawsuit states that the dimensions of the steps on this specific staircase were highly inconsistent. In particular, the riser height and tread depth of the final step were significantly larger than those of the preceding steps, creating an irregular and unexpected drop. This structural variation is alleged to be a direct violation of internationally accepted safety standards for step and staircase design. To compound the danger, the staircase featured uniform carpeting without any alternating colors, visible markings, or distinct demarcations to warn passengers that the step heights changed. This uniform appearance effectively concealed the irregular dimensions of the final step, depriving passengers of the visual cues needed to anticipate the risk. The complaint notes that there were no warning signs, specialized lighting, or verbal notifications alerting passengers to the structural tripping hazard.

Carnival Accused of Failing to Maintain Safe Walking Surfaces and Overlooking Longstanding Structural Defects

The legal filing asserts that Carnival Corporation had both actual and constructive knowledge of the dangerous staircase configuration. The plaintiff highlights that Carnival custom-designed the Carnival Elation and closely supervised its construction in a Finland shipyard between 1997 and 1998. Because Carnival embedded its own architects, engineers, and designers directly on-site with complete access to the vessel during construction, the cruise line had the ultimate authority to inspect, accept, or reject the design. Furthermore, Carnival operated and maintained exclusive control over the vessel for over twenty-seven years prior to the accident. During this multi-decade period, shipboard crew traversed the steps daily, cleaning staff vacuumed the carpet weekly, and management performed regular inspections for dry dock refurbishments, including major overhauls between 2006 and 2010, as well as in 2017 and 2020. The lawsuit argues that Carnival had ample opportunities to correct the hazard by changing the carpet design, adding step lighting, installing warning signs, or cordoning off the area entirely. To establish fleet-wide notice of the danger posed by uneven walking surfaces, the complaint cites several prior passenger lawsuits filed against Carnival in the Southern District of Florida, including Cook v. Carnival Corporation, Rembert v. Carnival Corporation, Robinson v. Carnival Corporation, Corgiat v. Carnival Corporation, and Hoddor v. Carnival Corporation.

Complaint Alleges Negligent Vessel Design, Lack of Visual Cues, and Violations of International Maritime Safety Standards

In addition to maintenance deficiencies, Marcano alleges that the cruise line is directly responsible for the negligent design and construction of the staircase and the improper selection of its materials. The complaint notes that Carnival is bound by mandatory international vessel safety regulations promulgated by the International Maritime Organization under the Safety of Life at Sea treaty, which mandates that safe escape routes must be provided and maintained clear of obstacles. Decks and interior passenger walkways function as escape routes and must remain safe for transit. By approving a staircase configuration where the final step drastically deviated from the established rhythm of the staircase, and covering it with a uniform carpet that masked the hazard, Carnival created an architectural trap. The lawsuit alleges that Carnival was aware of established industry guidelines from organizations like ASTM International and the American National Standards Institute but failed to adhere to these benchmarks when deploying and maintaining the staircase on Deck 12.

Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Impairment, Medical Expenses, and Severe Anguish Caused by Cruise Line Negligence

Marcano brings six distinct counts of negligence against the cruise line, which encompass direct and vicarious theories of liability: negligent failure to maintain, vicarious liability for employee maintenance failures under respondeat superior, negligent failure to warn, vicarious liability for failure to warn, negligent training of personnel, and negligent design, construction, and selection of materials. The lawsuit states that as a direct consequence of the fall, Marcano inverted her ankle, resulting in a fractured left distal fibula and severe damage to the surrounding ligaments. The injuries are described as permanent, continuing, and extremely painful, causing long-term physical disability, impairment, scarring, and disfigurement. The plaintiff is seeking compensation for past and future economic damages, including medical expenses, psychological care, and loss of future earning capacity, alongside non-economic damages for mental anguish, physical inconvenience, and a diminished capacity to enjoy life.

Contact a Cruise Ship Staircase Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt Boarding or Navigating a Vessel

Cruise ship passengers who suffer severe injuries due to uneven walking surfaces, irregular steps, hidden elevation changes, or un-marked structural hazards may be entitled to compensation under general maritime law. Cruise operators have a strict obligation to provide a reasonably safe environment and must ensure that passenger areas are free from concealed architectural traps. If you or a loved one experienced a similar trip and fall accident due to unsafe shipboard conditions, contact our dedicated maritime injury team today to learn about your rights and discuss your options.

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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.