New Jersey Woman Sues Royal Caribbean After Sliding Glass Doors Trap Her Aboard Symphony of the Seas
Janice Willett, a resident of New Jersey, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-24362-CMA, alleges that Willett suffered serious and permanent injuries after being trapped by malfunctioning automatic sliding glass doors while walking near the running track on Deck 5 of the Symphony of the Seas on July 3, 2025.
Cruise Passenger Trapped and Injured by Malfunctioning Automatic Sliding Glass Doors on Symphony of the Seas
According to the complaint, the incident occurred as Willett was proceeding through the automatic sliding glass doors located between the walking and running track area and the inner lobby on Deck 5. While she was walking through the threshold, the doors suddenly and unexpectedly closed on her, trapping her between them and continuing to press against her body with force. Willett was forced to physically push against the doors in an effort to free herself before other nearby cruise passengers came to her aid and assisted in pulling the heavy glass doors apart so she could escape. The lawsuit asserts that the automatic sliding glass doors constituted a dangerous condition that was not open or obvious, as a reasonable passenger utilizing the entryway in its intended manner would expect the doors to remain open until passage was fully completed.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Having Fleetwide Notice of Recurring Cruise Ship Automatic Passenger Door Hazards
The lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean had both actual and constructive knowledge of the safety issues regarding malfunctioning automatic sliding glass doors but failed to implement proper preventive measures. Plaintiff’s legal team references multiple prior lawsuits filed in the Southern District of Florida involving similar door malfunction incidents aboard various Royal Caribbean vessels. The complaint cites specific recent cases as evidence of fleetwide notice, including Allen v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. involving an Oasis-class sister vessel, the Allure of the Seas. It also highlights Williams v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. and Houston v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., which both involved passengers struck by sliding doors near the Windjammer buffet on the Enchantment of the Seas and Vision of the Seas, respectively. Additional prior cases cited include Fonseca v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., Chase v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., Gunn v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., Chamberlain v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., and Brown v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., which involved similar unexpected closures and failures across the Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Mariner of the Seas.
Complaint Alleges Negligent Maintenance, Failed Sensor Calibration, and Lack of Routine Safety Inspections
In addition to having notice of the recurring hazards, Willett alleges that Royal Caribbean failed in its ongoing responsibility to properly operate, inspect, maintain, service, repair, test, and calibrate the automatic doors utilized daily by thousands of passengers. The complaint argues that these automatic systems require rigorous, routine technical adjustments to ensure that proximity safety sensors, obstruction detection mechanisms, closing speeds, and emergency reopening features function safely. Willett asserts that the cruise line breached its duty of care by allowing the sensors to fail to detect her presence within the threshold area and allowing the closing mechanisms to exert continuous crushing force instead of automatically reopening upon physical contact with an obstruction. Furthermore, the suit alleges that Royal Caribbean failed to review internal safety audits, maintenance logs, and incident reports that would have signaled the need for immediate corrective measures before the door system failed.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Surgery, Permanent Physical Impairment, and Medical Expenses
Willett brings two primary counts of negligence against Royal Caribbean: negligent maintenance and negligent failure to warn. She claims the cruise line breached its non-delegable duty to provide passengers with a safe shipboard environment and failed to warn her that the specific doors were malfunctioning or could prematurely trap a traversing passenger. The lawsuit states that as a direct and proximate result of being crushed by the doors, Willett sustained serious bodily injuries to her neck, left shoulder, back, right hip, pelvis, and abdomen. The severity of the injuries ultimately required extensive medical treatment, diagnostic imaging, invasive injections, physical therapy, and a major right sacroiliac joint fusion surgery. Seeking compensation for ongoing physical impairment, disfigurement, permanent pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses, and a loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, Willett asserts that her injuries have permanently impacted her ability to maintain her previously active lifestyle.
Contact a Cruise Ship Sliding Door Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt by Malfunctioning Vessel Entryways
Cruise passengers injured by malfunctioning automatic sliding doors, heavy threshold systems, or uncalibrated proximity sensors may be entitled to financial compensation under maritime law. Cruise operators like Royal Caribbean have a strict legal obligation to maintain all public entryways, automatic passenger doors, and common areas in a reasonably safe condition to prevent foreseeable crush injuries. If you or someone you care about was injured in a similar shipboard accident due to a technical malfunction, contact our team of experienced maritime injury lawyers today. We are here to provide clarity on your rights as a passenger and help you explore your options for recovery.
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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.
