Pennsylvania Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Slipping on Jogging Track While Sailing on Carnival Vista
Elaine Rigby, a resident of Pennsylvania, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-20856-DSL, alleges that Rigby suffered severe and permanent injuries after slipping and falling on a transitory foreign substance while walking on the jogging track of the Carnival Vista on February 11, 2025.
Cruise Passenger Injured on Carnival Vista Jogging Track Due to Slippery Surface and Lack of Warning Signs
According to the complaint, the incident occurred while the vessel was in navigable waters. Rigby was walking on the Deck 12 jogging track when she suddenly slipped on a foreign substance on the deck surface. The lawsuit alleges that the area lacked any wet floor signs, barricades, or visible warnings to alert passengers to the hazard. Rigby asserts that Carnival owed her a duty of reasonable care and breached that duty by failing to maintain a safe walking surface or provide any indication of the dangerous condition. The fall resulted in significant injuries to her right hip, leg, knee, shoulder, head, and neck.
Carnival Accused of Having Notice of Dangerous Jogging Track Conditions Following Similar Fleetwide Accidents
The lawsuit alleges that Carnival had both actual and constructive knowledge of the hazardous conditions on its jogging tracks. Rigby’s legal team argues that the cruise line was aware of a pattern of substantially similar incidents occurring across its fleet. The complaint specifically cites prior accidents, including a July 2024 slip on the Carnival Breeze, a May 2022 incident on the Carnival Mardi Gras, and a December 2024 fall on the Carnival Venezia. All of these prior cases involved passengers slipping on foreign substances on Deck 12 jogging tracks. The plaintiff contends these recurring accidents placed Carnival on notice that water, condensation, or spills frequently accumulate in these areas, creating a foreseeable risk of severe injury to passengers.
Complaint Alleges Negligent Maintenance and Inadequate Inspection Protocols on Carnival Vista Deck 12
In addition to the failure to warn, the lawsuit claims that Carnival breached its duty by failing to maintain the jogging track in a reasonably safe condition. The complaint argues that the cruise line failed to implement a reasonable inspection schedule to detect spills or hazards in a timely manner. It further alleges that Carnival did not adequately monitor the high-traffic track area for transitory substances and failed to clean or remove the substance after it had existed for a sufficient period of time. Rigby suggests that the recurring nature of these accidents proves that Carnival’s existing maintenance and inspection protocols were insufficient to protect fare-paying passengers.
Lawsuit Challenges Choice of Flooring Material and Lack of Anti-Skid Treatments on Carnival Jogging Tracks
Rigby also brings a count of negligent design and selection against the cruise line. The complaint alleges that Carnival selected a flooring material for the jogging track that possesses an inadequate coefficient of friction when exposed to moisture. By utilizing a surface material that is inherently unsafe for outdoor physical activity, the cruise line allegedly created a permanent hazard. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Carnival failed to utilize anti-skid treatments or other safety enhancements despite having notice of the flooring’s propensity for extreme slipperiness when wet.
Contact a Cruise Ship Jogging Track Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt in a Slip and Fall Accident
Cruise passengers who are injured on slippery jogging tracks, deck surfaces, or common areas may be entitled to compensation under maritime law. Cruise lines like Carnival have a legal obligation to ensure that all passenger areas are designed and maintained to prevent foreseeable slip and fall accidents. If you or a loved one suffered an injury while sailing due to a wet surface or lack of proper warning signs, contact our team of experienced maritime injury lawyers today. We are dedicated to helping victims understand their rights and pursue the compensation they deserve for medical expenses and pain and suffering.
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.
