Florida Woman Sues Royal Caribbean Group After Leg Amputation Following Injury Aboard Voyager of the Seas
Mary Bowden, a resident of Florida, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-20479-CMA, alleges that Bowden suffered a catastrophic injury leading to the amputation of her left leg due to the cruise line’s failure to provide necessary medical treatment and emergency evacuation after she was injured during a port call.
Cruise Passenger Suffers Severe Leg Fracture and Popliteal Artery Rupture During Port Visit to Cozumel
According to the complaint, the incident occurred during a voyage spanning March 17 through March 22, 2025, aboard the Voyager of the Seas. On March 19, 2025, while the vessel was at a scheduled port of call in Cozumel, Mexico, Bowden sustained a serious injury to her left leg. The injury was diagnosed at a local Mexican hospital as a fracture near the knee accompanied by a popliteal artery rupture. The lawsuit emphasizes that such injuries carry a high risk of limb loss due to the restriction of blood and nerve flow. While the ship was still in port, the hospital allegedly contacted Royal Caribbean and transmitted medical records and x-rays to the cruise line’s shipboard and shoreside physicians for review.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Refusing Medical Treatment and Blocking Re-boarding of Injured Passenger
The legal filing describes a harrowing sequence of events following Bowden’s initial diagnosis. After the Mexican hospital provided her records to the cruise line, Bowden was transported back to the vessel via ground ambulance. However, the complaint alleges that Royal Caribbean’s shipboard physicians, after visually or physically examining her while she remained in the ambulance, refused to allow her to re-board the ship. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims the cruise line refused to provide shipboard medical stabilization or assistance in securing emergency medical transit to a Tier I trauma facility in the United States. This refusal allegedly caused a critical delay in treatment, leading to the worsening of her condition and the eventual amputation of her left leg above the knee.
Complaint Alleges Breach of Maritime Law and Misleading Advertising Regarding Onboard Medical Services
Bowden’s legal team asserts that Royal Caribbean breached its duty of reasonable care under General Maritime Law and violated the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. The lawsuit argues that the cruise line is vicariously liable for the actions of its medical personnel, whom the plaintiff believed were authorized agents of the company. Additionally, the complaint brings charges of misleading advertising under Florida law. It points to representations on Royal Caribbean’s website claiming that their goal is to stabilize emergency patients and evacuate them to appropriate facilities. Bowden asserts she relied on these promises when booking her cruise, but the cruise line failed to uphold these standards when she faced a life-threatening medical emergency.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Disability and Failure to Assist in Emergency Medical Evacuation
The lawsuit includes six counts against Royal Caribbean, including general negligence, negligent failure to warn, vicarious liability, and negligent misrepresentation. Bowden alleges that the cruise line had prior knowledge of the risks associated with failing to provide emergency care, citing several previous lawsuits involving similar allegations of medical negligence. As a result of the cruise line’s alleged failures, Bowden claims she has incurred over $30,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses and continues to suffer from physical pain, mental anguish, and significant functional limitations. She seeks compensation for her permanent disability, loss of enjoyment of life, and the ongoing medical care required following her amputation.
Contact a Cruise Ship Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today if You Were Denied Care During a Voyage
Cruise ship passengers who suffer serious injuries or medical emergencies rely on the cruise line to provide competent medical care and facilitate emergency evacuations when necessary. When a cruise line fails to act reasonably or refuses to assist an injured passenger, the results can be life-altering. If you or a loved one experienced a medical emergency aboard a ship and were denied proper treatment or stabilization, you may have grounds for a maritime personal injury claim. Our team is dedicated to helping passengers understand their rights and holding cruise lines accountable for negligence.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship injury 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.
