Florida Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Elevator Door Injury Aboard Carnival Jubilee
Phoebe Lawrence, a resident of Jacksonville, Florida, 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-24176-JEM, alleges that Lawrence suffered serious injuries when an elevator door suddenly closed on her right forearm and wrist while aboard the Carnival Jubilee on September 14, 2024.
Passenger Injured When Elevator Door Suddenly Closed on Arm Aboard Carnival Jubilee
According to the complaint, Lawrence was attempting to enter an elevator on the Carnival Jubilee during a cruise that departed from Galveston, Texas, when the elevator doors abruptly closed on her without warning. The sudden impact allegedly caused significant trauma to her right forearm and wrist. She received medical attention onboard and required continued care after returning home. The lawsuit claims that the incident occurred due to a malfunction or failure in the elevator’s door sensors, which should have detected her presence and prevented the doors from closing.
Lawsuit Alleges Carnival Had Prior Knowledge of Elevator Malfunctions Across Its Fleet
Lawrence’s legal team asserts that Carnival had both actual and constructive notice of the risk posed by malfunctioning elevator doors. The complaint cites more than a dozen similar elevator injury cases across multiple Carnival ships over the past decade, including Carnival Glory, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Mardi Gras, and Carnival Paradise. Notably, the lawsuit references a 2025 case involving a nearly identical elevator door incident on the Carnival Jubilee, suggesting a recurring problem with this ship’s elevator systems. The plaintiff also argues that Carnival’s elevators may have failed to comply with recognized industry safety standards, including ASME A17.1, ISO 8383, and EN 81.
Carnival Accused of Negligent Maintenance and Lack of Safety Features in Elevator Doors
The complaint brings two counts against Carnival: negligent failure to maintain and failure to warn. It alleges that Carnival failed to properly inspect, service, and monitor the elevator system to ensure passenger safety. Specifically, the suit claims that Carnival did not equip the elevator with functioning infrared or photoelectric sensors—standard safety features designed to prevent doors from closing when a person is in the way. By allowing the elevator to operate without adequate safeguards, Carnival allegedly created a hazardous condition that was not open or obvious to passengers.
Complaint Alleges Failure to Warn of Hidden Elevator Danger and Seeks Damages for Ongoing Injuries
In addition to negligence, Lawrence claims that Carnival failed to warn her of a hidden and non-obvious risk: that the elevator could close without detecting her presence. Despite Carnival’s awareness of prior similar incidents, the lawsuit alleges the company took no steps to alert passengers or post warnings. As a result of the accident, Lawrence is seeking damages for bodily injury, pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical expenses, loss of earnings, and permanent impairment. She also alleges aggravation of a pre-existing condition and a loss of enjoyment of life due to the incident.
Contact a Cruise Ship Elevator Injury Lawyer if You Were Hurt by a Malfunctioning Elevator on a Cruise
Passengers injured by faulty or dangerous elevators aboard cruise ships may have legal rights under maritime law. Cruise lines like Carnival have a duty to maintain elevators and other onboard systems in a reasonably safe condition. If you or a loved one was injured by an elevator door on a cruise ship, our experienced maritime attorneys can help you explore your legal options and seek compensation.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship elevator accident attorney.
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Florida woman sues Carnival after being injured by an elevator door aboard the Carnival Jubilee. Complaint alleges failure to maintain and warn of known hazard.
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Carnival elevator injury, Carnival Jubilee lawsuit, cruise ship elevator malfunction, elevator door accident cruise, cruise ship negligence lawsuit, maritime elevator injury, cruise passenger elevator door injury, Southern District of Florida cruise lawsuit
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.
