New Jersey Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Staircase Trip and Fall on Carnival Sunshine

Saralynne McDowell, a resident of New Jersey, 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 Number 1:26-cv-26058-DPG, alleges that McDowell suffered severe, permanent, and continuing injuries after tripping and falling over a defective stair nosing while descending an interior staircase aboard the Carnival Sunshine on September 22, 2025.

Cruise Passenger Injured on Carnival Sunshine Stairway Due to Raised Stair Nosing and Missing Fasteners

According to the complaint, McDowell was traveling between Deck 5 and Deck 4 aboard the Carnival Sunshine when she encountered a dangerous tripping hazard on the stairs. The lawsuit asserts that the walking surface of the step was raised and uneven, creating an abrupt change in elevation that directly interfered with normal foot placement. Specifically, the stair nosing and transition strip were visibly misaligned, raised, separated, and inadequately secured due to missing or loose fasteners. The complaint states that the hazard was not open or obvious to descending passengers, who had no reason to anticipate an uneven lip on the edge of the step. Despite cruise line standards requiring level walking surfaces, proper stair tread dimensions, and uniform elevation changes, the staircase was allegedly left in a hazardous state without caution tape, warning signage, or barricades to prevent passenger access.

Carnival Accused of Notice After Prior Cruise Ship Stairway Accidents Across Fleet

The lawsuit alleges that Carnival had both actual and constructive notice of the defective stair condition long before McDowell fell. The complaint highlights that the physical deterioration, loosening, and separation of the nosing was consistent with progressive wear over time rather than a sudden occurrence, giving shipboard crew ample time to discover and correct the problem. Furthermore, photographic evidence from the scene indicates that prior, substandard repair attempts had been made using screws on the step, establishing that Carnival had actual awareness of the recurring defect. The lawsuit notes that the staircase was located in a heavily trafficked public corridor regularly patrolled by crew members and monitored by closed-circuit surveillance cameras. Immediately following the incident, Carnival security personnel inspected the staircase, photographed the displaced nosing, and called maintenance to fix the step, demonstrating that the defect was readily identifiable upon reasonable inspection.

To establish a broader pattern of notice regarding stair edge hazards, the plaintiff cites five previous federal lawsuits filed in the Southern District of Florida against Carnival Corporation. These include Figueroa Lopez v. Carnival Corporation aboard the Carnival Miracle, Hughes v. Carnival Corporation and Kindel v. Carnival Corporation aboard the Carnival Vista, Dove v. Carnival Corporation aboard the Carnival Legend, and McLaughlin v. Carnival Corporation aboard the Carnival Pride. In each cited case, passengers sustained injuries when their shoes caught on loose, raised, protruding, or deteriorated stair nosing and metal strips while descending shipboard stairs. McDowell contends that these repetitive incidents placed Carnival on direct notice of the systemic hazard posed by improperly secured stair nosings across its fleet.

Complaint Alleges Negligent Staircase Design, Defective Fasteners, and Failure to Inspect Walking Surfaces

The complaint asserts that Carnival directly approved and participated in the architectural specifications and interior design of public spaces on the Carnival Sunshine, including the selection of stair nosing, metal transition strips, and flooring materials. McDowell alleges that Carnival failed to design and install stair components capable of withstanding heavy passenger foot traffic without lifting, separating, or developing raised edges. The filing further contends that Carnival neglected its own internal inspection protocols, failed to implement regular maintenance schedules for public stairwells, and failed to test the durability of stair fasteners to ensure that nosings would remain flush with the treads. By allowing the hardware to loosen and the strip to protrude into the path of descending guests, Carnival allegedly created a foreseeable trap for passengers traversing between decks.

Passenger Seeks Damages for Permanent Injuries, Medical Care, and Loss of Vacation Enjoyment

McDowell brings four counts of negligence against Carnival Corporation: negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to maintain, negligent design, and general maritime negligence. She asserts that the cruise operator breached its non-delegable legal duty to exercise reasonable care under maritime law by failing to maintain the stairway, failing to remedy known structural defects, and failing to warn guests of the uneven steps. As a direct result of the fall, McDowell claims she suffered physical trauma to her body and extremities, resulting in severe physical pain, mental anguish, physical disability, disfigurement, aggravation of preexisting conditions, and diminished future earning capacity. McDowell seeks compensation for past and future medical expenses, permanent impairment, and the complete loss of the economic value and enjoyment of her cruise vacation.

Contact a Cruise Ship Staircase Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Injured Aboard a Vessel

Cruise passengers who suffer injuries caused by poorly maintained staircases, uneven steps, loose metal nosing, or inadequate warnings may be entitled to significant financial recovery under general maritime law. Commercial cruise operators are legally obligated to maintain passenger stairwells in a reasonably safe condition and to promptly repair structural defects that create dangerous tripping hazards. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a cruise ship fall caused by defective flooring or unsafe stairs, reach out to experienced legal counsel to evaluate your options and protect your rights.

Contact us to speak directly with an experienced maritime personal 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.