New York Woman Sues NCL After Tripping on Lounge Chair While Walking Toward Vibe Beach Club on NCL Getaway
Anna Baciuska, a resident of New York, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against NCL (Bahamas) LTD in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-20482, alleges that Baciuska suffered serious and permanent injuries after tripping over a misplaced lounge chair on the NCL Getaway. The incident occurred on August 11, 2025, while the vessel was in operation.
Cruise Passenger Injured on NCL Getaway Sun Deck Due to Protruding Lounge Chair Leg in Pedestrian Walkway
According to the complaint, the incident took place on Deck 16 of the NCL Getaway along the portside sun deck. Baciuska was reportedly walking toward the portside stairway leading to the Vibe Beach Club on Deck 17 when she encountered a trip hazard. The lawsuit alleges that a chaise lounge chair leg was protruding into the pedestrian walkway and was not properly aligned with the surrounding furniture. Baciuska asserts that the hazard was not open or obvious because a large crowd of people was traversing the narrow walkway at the same time, which obstructed her view of the floor. As a result of the trip and fall, Baciuska sustained a fractured femur that required surgical intervention and continues to cause her physical suffering.
Norwegian Cruise Line Accused of Having Notice of Dangerous Walkway Obstructions Based on Prior Similar Incidents
The lawsuit alleges that NCL had both actual and constructive notice of the dangerous condition. The plaintiff’s legal team points to prior litigation to demonstrate that the cruise line was aware of the risks posed by lounge chairs protruding into walkways. Specifically, the complaint cites a previous case, Franklin Dunn v. NCL (Bahamas) LTD, where a passenger allegedly tripped over the legs of a deck chair that protruded into a jogging path. Baciuska argues that this prior incident is substantially similar to her own, putting NCL on notice that its method of arranging lounge chairs on open decks created an unreasonable risk of injury. Furthermore, the complaint alleges that an NCL crew member was stationed approximately 15 feet away from where Baciuska fell and was close enough to have seen and corrected the hazard before the accident occurred.
Complaint Alleges NCL Failed to Follow Internal Safety Policies Regarding Deck Furniture Arrangement and Passenger Safety
In addition to notice based on prior accidents, the plaintiff claims that NCL had a specific internal policy requiring lounge chairs to be arranged in a manner that ensures clear pedestrian access. The lawsuit alleges that NCL failed to comply with its own safety procedures on the day of the incident. By allowing the chair to narrow the walkway and create a trip hazard, the cruise line allegedly breached its duty to maintain the ship in a reasonably safe condition. The complaint also asserts that the dangerous condition had existed for a sufficient length of time for the crew to have discovered and removed it during regular inspections of the sun deck.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Bodily Injury and Medical Expenses Resulting from Cruise Ship Negligence
Baciuska brings two counts of negligence against NCL: negligent failure to maintain and negligent failure to warn. She claims that NCL breached its duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances by failing to keep the walkway free of obstructions and failing to warn passengers of the narrowing path. The lawsuit states that as a direct result of the fall, Baciuska has suffered bodily injury, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, and a loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life. She is seeking damages in excess of 75,000 dollars for medical and nursing care, hospitalization expenses, and the loss of her ability to earn money both in the past and the future.
Contact a Cruise Ship Trip and Fall Lawyer Today if You Were Injured by Misplaced Furniture on a Vessel
Cruise passengers who suffer injuries due to misplaced furniture, walkway obstructions, or poorly maintained decks may be entitled to compensation under maritime law. Cruise lines have a legal responsibility to monitor high-traffic areas like sun decks and beach clubs to ensure that equipment does not create foreseeable hazards for guests. If you or a loved one was injured in a slip, trip, and fall accident aboard a cruise ship, contact our team of experienced maritime injury lawyers today. We can help you navigate the complexities of filing a claim against a major cruise line and ensure your rights are protected.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship slip 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.
