Texas Woman Sues Carnival After Being Knocked Down by Waiter on Carnival Miracle, Suffers Shattered Femur
Terry Conaway, a Texas resident, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:25-cv-24989-BB, alleges that Conaway suffered a fractured femur and significant medical complications after being knocked down by a waiter walking backward in the dining room of the Carnival Miracle.
Cruise Passenger Allegedly Struck by Carnival Waiter Walking Backward in Dining Room Without Looking
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on January 18, 2025, during a Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Miracle that departed from Galveston, Texas. Conaway and her daughter-in-law were headed to dinner on Deck 2 when a Carnival waiter, allegedly not paying attention and walking backward, collided with Conaway, knocking her violently to the floor.
Despite her attempts to avoid the collision, Conaway fell hard onto her left side, unable to stand due to the intense pain. The complaint asserts that Carnival failed to properly train or supervise its staff to avoid unsafe conduct in high-traffic passenger areas like the dining room. The waiter was allegedly performing his assigned tasks at the time, making Carnival vicariously liable for the incident.
Lawsuit Alleges Carnival Waitstaff Rushed and Poorly Trained, Leading to Dining Room Collision
Conaway claims that the crew member involved was rushing to complete his duties due to inadequate staffing and unreasonable workloads. The lawsuit alleges that Carnival failed to:
- Adequately train the waiter to avoid walking backward without looking
- Assign a manageable number of job responsibilities
- Maintain a safe passenger walkway free from sudden staff movements
- Supervise the dining room area to prevent staff-passenger collisions
The complaint further asserts that this was not an isolated occurrence, noting that Carnival had prior knowledge of similar incidents involving careless staff movement aboard its vessels. Conaway argues that Carnival’s policies, staffing, and lack of enforcement contributed directly to her injury.
Plaintiff Alleges Serious Injuries, Including Shattered Femur, Infection, and Blood Clot
Conaway was transported by stretcher to the ship’s medical facility and diagnosed via onboard X-ray with a comminuted (shattered) fracture of the left distal femur. She received multiple pain medications, including morphine and ketorolac, before being returned to her cabin with a catheter to await further care. The lawsuit claims that Carnival’s ship doctor failed to promptly evacuate her, despite evidence of severe injury and internal bleeding.
Two days later, Conaway was medically disembarked in Jamaica and flown by emergency air ambulance to a hospital in Aventura, Florida. There, she underwent emergency leg surgery, including the insertion of a metal rod. Complications allegedly followed, including:
- A blood clot behind her left knee
- A post-operative infection requiring additional surgery
- Continued pain and impairment requiring long-term treatment
Her attorneys argue that the delay in evacuation worsened her condition and added to her long-term recovery time and suffering.
Carnival Accused of Direct and Vicarious Negligence in Waiter Collision and Delayed Medical Response
The lawsuit brings three counts of negligence against Carnival:
- Vicarious Liability for the waiter’s conduct while acting within the scope of employment
- Direct Negligence for unsafe staffing levels, failure to supervise dining room activities, and failure to warn passengers
- Negligent Training for failing to properly educate crew members about safe movement and passenger safety
Conaway also alleges that Carnival’s medical team failed to act with reasonable care, citing their decision to delay emergency evacuation despite a known severe injury. Her legal team claims that this delay led to avoidable complications, including increased pain, risk of embolism, and an extended recovery timeline.
Injured Cruise Passengers May Seek Compensation for Onboard Negligence and Medical Errors
Passengers injured due to careless crew actions or inadequate medical care aboard a cruise ship may be entitled to compensation under maritime law. Cruise lines like Carnival are responsible for ensuring both the safety of public areas and that onboard medical staff provide appropriate treatment when serious injuries occur.
If you or a loved one has suffered a fall or injury due to crew negligence or poor medical response aboard a cruise ship, you may have legal options.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship injury 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.
