New York Resident Sues Royal Caribbean After Trip and Fall in Oasis of the Seas Art Gallery
Annecia Campbell-Karim, acting as the personal representative of Theda Campbell, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in the Southern District of Florida. The federal complaint, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-24572-FAM, alleges that Campbell suffered severe and permanent physical injuries, including a fractured tibia, after tripping over an unmarked metal threshold and uneven flooring while walking through the art gallery aboard the Oasis of the Seas.
Cruise Passenger Suffers Severe Fractured Tibia Injury in Oasis of the Seas Art Gallery Due to Uneven Flooring
According to the maritime complaint, the incident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. on July 11, 2025, while the cruise ship was navigating open waters. Campbell was walking past an art gallery located on deck 4 of the vessel when she unexpectedly encountered an unmarked metal threshold and a sudden change in flooring levels. The lawsuit alleges that this unexpected transition created an unreasonable tripping hazard that was completely hidden from the passenger. Because Royal Caribbean failed to place caution signs, modify the walkway surface, or clearly mark the uneven flooring transition, Campbell was completely unaware of the structural hazard before she tripped and fell heavily onto the deck.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Having Actual and Constructive Knowledge of Dangerous Shipboard Flooring Thresholds
The legal filing asserts that Royal Caribbean possessed both actual and constructive knowledge that these specific shipboard flooring configurations present a severe risk of passenger injury. To establish that the cruise line had prior notice of the danger, the plaintiff’s legal team points to several recent personal injury lawsuits filed in the Southern District of Florida involving identical flooring defects across the Royal Caribbean fleet. The complaint highlights specific prior incidents, including Bounds v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. involving an uneven threshold on the Quantum of the Seas, Keller v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. involving a trip on a raised metal threshold aboard the Harmony of the Seas, and Duckett v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., which also detailed a serious trip and fall accident on an uneven threshold on the Harmony of the Seas. The lawsuit argues that these repetitive incidents should have prompted fleet-wide inspections and corrective maintenance, yet the cruise line continued to expose passengers to the known hazard without adequate safety interventions.
Complaint Alleges Royal Caribbean Concededly Shields Prior Trip and Fall Incidents Through Confidential Settlements
In addition to the primary negligence claims, the lawsuit highlights the ongoing difficulties passengers face when gathering safety data due to corporate practices. The plaintiff notes that the full history of similar trip and fall accidents on Royal Caribbean vessels remains obscured because the cruise line routinely requires strict confidentiality agreements as a condition of its legal settlements. The complaint claims this practice effectively orchestrates a concealment of internal safety records and historical incident trends that would otherwise alert the public and regulatory bodies to systemic maintenance issues. The plaintiff contends that if Royal Caribbean had properly analyzed its internal incident history and adhered to recognized maritime industry standards, shipboard personnel would have installed flush flooring transitions or prominent visual markers to eliminate the dangerous conditions near the art gallery.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Injuries, Medical Expenses, and Lost Vacation Value Following Cruise Ship Accident
The federal complaint brings three specific counts of negligence against the cruise line: negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to maintain, and general negligence. The plaintiff claims that Royal Caribbean breached its non-delegable duty of reasonable care by failing to maintain level walking surfaces and failing to post adequate warnings. As a direct result of the cruise ship fall, Campbell suffered permanent bodily injuries, severe physical pain, mental anguish, permanent disability, and a substantial loss of enjoyment of life. The lawsuit seeks full financial compensation for all past and future medical expenses, a loss of future working capacity, and the total economic loss of the cruise vacation and associated transportation costs.
Contact a Cruise Ship Trip and Fall Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Injured on a Vessel Due to Uneven Flooring
Cruise ship passengers who suffer serious injuries due to hidden walkway defects, unmapped thresholds, or poorly maintained flooring transitions have strong protections under general maritime law. Operators like Royal Caribbean Group are legally required to provide a reasonably safe environment for all guests and must clearly warn of any structural hazards that are not completely open and obvious. If you or a loved one sustained a severe injury or fracture while traveling aboard a major cruise line, our experienced legal team is prepared to review your case and evaluate your potential claim.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship trip 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.
