Puerto Rico Resident Sues Royal Caribbean Cruises After Violent Trip and Fall on Icon of the Seas Gangway
Diana Rivera Muñoz, a resident of Puerto Rico, has initiated a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises, LTD. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The complaint, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-20971-KMM, alleges that Muñoz sustained significant and permanent injuries due to a dangerous gap and level change on the embarkation gangway while boarding the Icon of the Seas on March 1, 2025.
Cruise Passenger Injured Boarding Icon of the Seas Due to Dangerous Gangway Gap at Port Miami
The incident occurred at Terminal A in Port Miami as Muñoz was walking along the embarkation gangway to begin a seven-night Caribbean cruise. According to the legal filing, Muñoz encountered an unexpected gap and a sharp angle in the walkway surface that caused her to trip and fall violently forward. The impact resulted in her striking her knees, face, and torso against the gangway surface. The complaint highlights that Royal Caribbean’s own shipboard medical records documented the incident, noting that there was a small gap and an angle on the gangway that caused the passenger to trip. Muñoz contends that the hazard was not open or obvious to a reasonable passenger who was focused on the boarding process and the massive vessel nearby.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Negligent Failure to Warn and Inadequate Safety Guidance During Embarkation
The lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean breached its duty of care by failing to provide adequate warnings or safety measures at the transition point of the gangway. While some floor-level markings may have been present, the plaintiff argues they were wholly ineffective due to a visually chaotic environment designed by the cruise line. The gangway featured multi-colored tinted glass panels in yellow, green, and blue that cast shifting shadows and colors across the walking surface. Combined with bright structural beams and contrasting flooring materials, the yellow-and-black hazard tape allegedly blended into the surroundings. Furthermore, the complaint asserts that the cruise line failed to station crew members at the transition point to assist passengers or provide verbal warnings about the uneven surface.
Complaint Alleges Negligent Gangway Design and Visual Distractions on World’s Largest Cruise Ship
A significant portion of the claim focuses on the design of the Icon of the Seas embarkation facilities. Muñoz alleges that the gangway design prioritized aesthetics over safety, creating a foreseeable distraction. The glass panels encouraged passengers to look outward and upward at the massive ship rather than downward at their feet. The lawsuit argues that safer design alternatives, such as flush transitions or more gradual slopes, are widely used in the maritime industry and could have prevented the fall. The plaintiff contends that Royal Caribbean knew or should have known of the tripping hazard through routine inspections and previous embarkation cycles but allowed the dangerous condition to persist without remediation.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Chronic Pain and Permanent Injuries Following Icon of the Seas Gangway Fall
As a result of the accident, the 74-year-old plaintiff suffered a suite of injuries including facial bruising, a nosebleed, a right knee contusion, and significant abrasions. Following the cruise, her condition worsened, leading to diagnoses of cervicalgia, thoracic back pain, and vertebrogenic low back pain. The lawsuit states that Muñoz now suffers from chronic pain, difficulty breathing, and a profound decline in her ability to perform daily activities like driving and walking. She is seeking compensatory damages in excess of $500,000 for medical expenses, physical impairment, and the loss of enjoyment of life. The complaint includes counts for negligent operation, negligent failure to warn, negligent design, and negligent hiring and training of crew members.
Contact a Cruise Ship Gangway Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt Boarding a Vessel in Unsafe Conditions
Cruise passengers who suffer injuries due to poorly maintained walkways, hidden gaps, or inadequate signage during the boarding process may be eligible for compensation under federal maritime law. Cruise operators have a non-delegable duty to ensure that embarkation gangways are safe and that potential hazards are clearly marked or corrected. If you or a loved one experienced a similar trip and fall accident while entering or exiting a ship, speaking with a qualified legal professional is essential to protecting your rights.
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.
