Florida Resident Sues Royal Caribbean After Severe Slip and Fall on Wet Pool Deck of Liberty of the Seas
Martin Sibilia, a citizen and permanent resident of Florida, has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) in the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:25-cv-25727-FAM, seeks damages in excess of $75,000. Sibilia alleges he sustained severe, permanent injuries after slipping and falling on a foreign, wet, slippery, and/or transitory substance on the deck surface in the main pool area on Deck 11 of the Liberty of the Seas.
Passenger Suffers Broken Humerus and Vertebrae Fracture on Slippery Pool Deck
The incident occurred on December 10, 2024, while Sibilia was a fare-paying passenger aboard the vessel. The complaint describes a hazardous condition existing on the outside walkway of the pool deck on Deck 11, caused by a substance that posed an unreasonable slipping hazard. The Plaintiff asserts that this hazard was not apparent, conspicuous, or visible to casual inspection by a reasonable passenger, meaning the condition was not open and obvious.
As a direct result of the fall, Sibilia sustained significant injuries, including a broken right humerus and a compression fracture of the L1 vertebrae. He suffered pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, disability, and activation of pre-existing conditions, and is incurring medical expenses that are permanent or continuing in nature.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Negligent Maintenance of High-Traffic Pool Walkway
The lawsuit brings a claim for Negligent Maintenance, asserting that RCCL failed in its duty of reasonable care to maintain the high-traffic pool area walking surface on Deck 11 in a reasonably safe condition. The pool area walking surface is described as regularly utilized as a walkway by all individuals on board the vessel.
Sibilia alleges that RCCL’s negligent acts or omissions consisted of failing to maintain the walking surface in a reasonably safe condition, failing to conduct routine inspections of the pool area walking surface on Deck 11 in order to detect dangerous conditions, and failing to timely clean, dry, cordon off, or otherwise correct any dangerous conditions on the walking surface of the pool area, once those conditions were or should have been detected.
Prior Slip and Fall Incidents on Pool Decks Across the Royal Caribbean Fleet
A critical component of Sibilia’s complaint is the assertion that RCCL had both actual and constructive notice of the dangerous condition. The lawsuit claims that foreign, wet, slippery, and/or transitory substances on pool area walking surfaces are a repetitive and recurring issue on RCCL cruise ships fleetwide.
To support this claim, the complaint cites multiple substantially similar slip and fall incidents caused by wet spots or wet areas on pool decks on various Royal Caribbean vessels, including the Mariner of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.
Negligent Failure to Warn Alleged Despite Known Recurring Pool Deck Hazard
The Plaintiff also brings a claim for Negligent Failure to Warn. Sibilia alleges that notwithstanding RCCL’s actual or constructive knowledge of the recurring pool deck hazard, the cruise line failed adequately to warn passengers, including him, of the dangerous condition. This failure included omitting adequate signage or markings, orally delivered or written warnings, cordoning off the dangerous area, or otherwise. This negligent failure to warn is alleged to be a direct and proximate cause of the fall and the resulting injuries.
Cruise passengers injured by slip and fall accidents on wet cruise ship pool decks should be aware that cruise lines are responsible for exercising reasonable care to maintain safe walking surfaces and warn of known hazards. Allegations of recurring fleet-wide problems, such as those detailed in this lawsuit, demonstrate that cruise lines can be held to a higher standard of notice regarding frequently wet, high-traffic areas. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to a slippery pool deck, contact a maritime personal injury lawyer specializing in cruise ship slip and fall lawsuits.
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.
