Texas Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Slip and Fall on Sticky Floor Surface Aboard Carnival Celebration
Karen Teague, a resident of Texas, 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-23613-JB, alleges that Teague suffered severe and permanent physical injuries after slipping and falling due to an unreasonably adhesive substance on a passenger walkway aboard the cruise ship Carnival Celebration on May 24, 2025.
Cruise Passenger Injured Aboard Carnival Celebration Due to Sticky Floor Substance with No Warnings Near Guest Services
According to the complaint, the hazardous incident began while Teague was walking along a general, common passenger walkway situated near the Guest Services desk on Deck 8 of the vessel. While traversing this high-traffic interior area, she stepped on an unknown sticky substance that adhered firmly to her shoe. Teague subsequently moved to Deck 7 to visit the Players Club desk located inside the ship’s casino. As she walked across the common tiled flooring of Deck 7, the residual adhesive substance from Deck 8 caused her shoe to stick abruptly to the tile surface. This sudden resistance stopped her forward motion without warning, causing her entire body to fall forward violently onto the hard floor. The impact resulted in serious bodily injuries, including a fractured right femur that required immediate surgical intervention. Teague asserts that the dangerous condition was not open or obvious to a reasonable passenger because the adhesive nature of the substance was completely indiscernible through ordinary observation, and the flooring appeared to be clean, dry, and normal.
Carnival Accused of Failing to Maintain and Clean Interior Walkways to Prevent Sticky Substance Accumulation
The lawsuit alleges that Carnival Corporation had both actual and constructive knowledge of the propensity for passenger falls involving sticky or adhesive deck surfaces on its cruise ships. Plaintiff’s legal team points to the specific location near Guest Services on Deck 8 as a high-traffic interior zone where passengers frequently carry and consume food and beverages. The complaint argues that Carnival knew or should have known that foreign substances regularly accumulate on the floor in these zones, creating a foreseeable tripping hazard. To demonstrate that the cruise line had historical notice of this specific type of fleet-wide danger, the complaint references seven prior passenger slip and fall incidents occurring under substantially similar circumstances. These include cases such as Laura Bigner v. Carnival Corporation involving a sticky walkway on the Carnival Liberty, Linda Taylor v. Carnival Corporation involving a dried spilled drink on the Carnival Magic, and Marsha Ortiz v. Carnival Corporation regarding a sticky substance in the casino of the Carnival Miracle. Additional cited cases involve similar injuries on the Carnival Valor, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Conquest, and Carnival Freedom. Teague argues that despite these many prior incidents, Carnival failed to implement proper inspection, cleaning, or maintenance protocols to mitigate the risks of adhesive residues.
Complaint Alleges Negligent Failure to Warn and Unsafe Floor Maintenance in High Traffic Cruise Ship Casino Areas
Teague brings two specific counts of negligence against the cruise line: negligent maintenance and negligent failure to warn. The complaint argues that Carnival breached its non-delegable duty to provide passengers with a reasonably safe vessel by failing to properly clean, inspect, and maintain the high-traffic walkways near Guest Services and the casino. The lawsuit asserts that the sticky substance had been present on the walking surface for a sufficient length of time that it should have been discovered and neutralized by shipboard staff through the exercise of reasonable care. Furthermore, the complaint highlights a severe lack of operational protocols, alleging that Carnival failed to place visual warning signs, cones, or tape around the hazard, failed to give verbal warnings to passing guests, and failed to temporarily reroute passenger traffic away from the unsafe floor area until it could be properly cleaned and cleared of adhesive residue.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Injuries, Medical Expenses, and Lost Earning Capacity Due to Cruise Line Negligence
As a direct result of Carnival’s alleged negligence, Teague claims she has suffered severe physical pain, mental anguish, permanent disability, disfigurement, and a significant loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life. In addition to her physical trauma and the subsequent surgical care for her fractured femur, the lawsuit notes that she has incurred substantial past medical expenses and will continue to face certain future medical costs. The injuries have also impacted her professional life, resulting in a loss of past earnings and a diminished future earning capacity. Because these physical and financial damages are permanent and continuing in nature, Teague is seeking full compensatory damages, interest, and court costs, and has formally demanded a trial by jury.
Contact a Cruise Ship Slip and Fall Attorney Today if You Were Hurt on a Vessel in Unsafe Conditions
Cruise passengers who suffer severe injuries due to sticky substances, liquid spills, or poorly maintained walking surfaces on a ship may be entitled to financial compensation under maritime law. Cruise companies have a strict legal obligation to maintain interior walkways, casino floors, and dining areas in a reasonably safe condition and to warn guests of hidden tripping hazards. If you or a loved one experienced a similar slip and fall accident while traveling on a cruise, contact our team of experienced maritime injury lawyers today. We can help you navigate the complexities of maritime filings and ensure your rights are protected.
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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.
