Texas Woman Sues Royal Caribbean After Trip and Fall on Uneven Walkway While Boarding Mariner of the Seas in Costa Maya
Clara Luz Echeverria, a resident of Texas, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:25-cv-25797-DPG, alleges that Echeverria suffered a serious wrist fracture after tripping on a dangerously uneven concrete walkway while walking toward the Mariner of the Seas during a port call in Costa Maya, Mexico on September 9, 2024.
Cruise Passenger Injured While Walking Toward Royal Caribbean Vessel at Costa Maya Port of Call
According to the complaint, the incident occurred while Echeverria was a fare paying passenger returning to the Mariner of the Seas during its scheduled stop in Costa Maya. Royal Caribbean allegedly directed passengers along a specific concrete walkway leading toward the ship. As Echeverria walked along the designated path, her foot reportedly caught on uneven, raised, cracked, and deteriorated concrete. She lost her balance and fell forward, landing on her outstretched hand and wrist.
The lawsuit claims the walkway surface was damaged and hazardous, yet passengers were required to traverse the area as part of the boarding and return process. Echeverria alleges that the dangerous condition was not open or obvious and that nothing alerted her to the presence of the tripping hazard in a busy port environment filled with pedestrian traffic and distractions.
Royal Caribbean Accused of Failing to Provide a Reasonably Safe Means of Ingress and Egress
The complaint asserts that Royal Caribbean owed passengers a non delegable duty to provide a reasonably safe means of ingress and egress at ports of call. Echeverria alleges that Royal Caribbean exercised control over the passenger route and approved the precise walking path used to access the Mariner of the Seas while docked in Costa Maya.
Despite this control, the lawsuit claims Royal Caribbean failed to ensure the walkway was safe for repeated and foreseeable passenger use. The concrete surface was allegedly uneven, broken, and eroded in an area the cruise line knew passengers would be required to walk. The complaint contends that Royal Caribbean failed to properly inspect, assess, or modify the walkway and did not implement alternative routing or safeguards to protect passengers from the risk of tripping and falling.
Lawsuit Alleges Royal Caribbean Had Prior Notice of Similar Trip and Fall Hazards
Echeverria’s lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean had both actual and constructive notice of the dangerous condition. The complaint points to Royal Caribbean’s responsibility for inspecting and maintaining passenger walkways, as well as its internal safety reporting and maintenance systems.
The plaintiff also references prior passenger trip and fall lawsuits filed in the Southern District of Florida involving similar hazards on Royal Caribbean vessels and at port walkways. These earlier cases are cited to support the allegation that Royal Caribbean was aware of the risks posed by uneven walking surfaces in passenger ingress and egress areas but failed to take adequate corrective action. According to the complaint, the cruise line nevertheless continued to route passengers through a walkway that presented an unreasonable risk of injury.
Claim Includes Failure to Warn of Uneven Concrete and Lack of Safety Markings
In addition to alleging unsafe conditions, the lawsuit claims Royal Caribbean failed to warn passengers of the tripping hazard. Echeverria alleges that there were no warning signs, cones, barricades, markings, or verbal warnings alerting passengers to the uneven concrete. The hazardous area was not blocked off or restricted, and passengers were not rerouted to a safer alternative pathway.
The complaint asserts that the condition was particularly dangerous because it was located in a high traffic area where passengers were required to walk to reach the ship. In such an environment, the uneven concrete was allegedly difficult to detect during normal walking and posed a concealed danger to unsuspecting passengers.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Fractured Wrist and Permanent Injuries
As a result of the fall, Echeverria claims she suffered a fractured wrist that required medical treatment and caused significant pain, impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life. The lawsuit alleges that her injuries are permanent or continuing in nature and may require future medical care. She seeks compensation for medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, disability, and other related damages.
The complaint brings claims for negligent failure to provide a safe means of ingress and egress, negligent failure to warn, and negligent maintenance. Echeverria alleges that Royal Caribbean breached its duty of reasonable care under maritime law by allowing passengers to walk on a hazardous surface despite having knowledge of the risks involved.
Speak With a Cruise Ship Trip and Fall Lawyer About Port Walkway Injuries
Trip and fall injuries on cruise ship walkways and port access routes remain a common source of maritime injury lawsuits. Cruise lines have a legal obligation to ensure that passenger walking surfaces, whether onboard or at ports of call, are reasonably safe and properly maintained. When passengers are injured due to uneven pavement, broken concrete, or lack of warnings, they may have valid claims under federal maritime law.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship injury lawyer.
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.
