Virginia Passenger Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Tripping Over Raised Deck Threshold on Carnival Conquest
Gina Dehaut, a resident of Virginia, has initiated a federal maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case Number 1:26-cv-26860-MD, stems from an incident aboard the Carnival Conquest during a three-night cruise sailing from Miami. According to the court filing, Dehaut sustained severe and debilitating physical injuries after encountering an unsecured, elevated floor transition while walking between common passenger areas on Deck 5 of the cruise ship.
Cruise Passenger Injured Near Alchemy Bar on Carnival Conquest Due to Unmarked Floor Threshold Hazard
The incident took place on October 11, 2025, while Dehaut and her family were aboard the vessel to celebrate her nephew’s wedding reception, which was hosted in Henri’s Dance Club. According to the filed complaint, the family had repeatedly traversed Deck 5 during the voyage to assist with event preparations. While walking through the walkway separating the elevator lobby adjacent to the Alchemy Bar and the entrance to the dance club, Dehaut suddenly tripped and fell over a raised threshold. The complaint states that the transition strip was unsecured, elevated, and unreasonably protruding above the deck flooring. Furthermore, the elevation change was unmarked, lacked high-visibility warnings, and was not readily discernible to passengers walking through the area. At the time of the fall, there were no caution cones, safety tape, physical barriers, or crew members present to provide verbal warnings about the tripping hazard.
Lawsuit Cites Prior Passenger Falls on Carnival Conquest as Evidence of Notice Regarding Dangerous Transition Strips
The legal filing contends that Carnival Corporation had both actual and constructive notice of the hazardous threshold before Dehaut fell. Central to the allegations is the assertion that two other passengers assisting with the same wedding celebration tripped over the exact same threshold just one day prior. The complaint specifically identifies fellow passengers Joseph Germinario and Kelcie Taylor, both of whom reportedly tripped over the raised and protruding transition strip on October 10, 2025. In addition to these recent incidents, the plaintiff asserts that the wear and tear on the defective threshold was visible and had developed gradually over weeks or months. The lawsuit emphasizes that the cruise operator routinely conducts shipboard safety meetings, logs deck hazards in internal meeting minutes, and performs routine crew inspections and safety audits, all of which should have identified and remedied the unsafe structural condition prior to the incident.
Complaint Asserts Violations of Maritime Safety Regulations and ASTM Walkway Standards on Carnival Ships
Dehaut’s filing details several alleged breaches of international safety standards and established industry walkway codes. The complaint highlights mandatory vessel-safety requirements under the Senate-ratified International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and International Maritime Organization regulations, which mandate that interior escape and passenger routes must be maintained in a safe condition clear of hazards and obstacles. The lawsuit also references ASTM International walkway standards, specifically ASTM F1637, which directs that abrupt changes in walking-surface elevation should not exceed one-half inch without the addition of a bevel, ramp, or transition system to make the path flush. The complaint alleges that the threshold separating the elevator foyer and the Alchemy Bar significantly exceeded this threshold height, creating an unreasonable risk that a passenger’s foot could become ensnared on the protruding metal strip.
Cruise Passenger Suffers Fractured Humerus and Seeks Damages for Continuing Injuries and Medical Expenses
The complaint presents two primary counts of negligence against the cruise line: negligent maintenance and inspection, and negligent failure to warn. As a direct result of the fall, Dehaut suffered a severe comminuted fracture of her proximal right humerus along with ongoing shoulder trauma. The lawsuit states that these injuries have caused enduring physical pain, permanent impairment, mental anguish, and significant medical expenses, alongside the complete loss of enjoyment of her cruise vacation and travel investment. The legal action demands economic and non-economic damages, including past and future medical costs, compensation for physical disability and scarring, pre-judgment interest under general maritime law, and court costs.
Passengers who suffer injuries while navigating dangerous walking surfaces, elevated thresholds, or poorly maintained corridors on cruise ships may have legal recourse under general maritime law. Cruise companies owe fare-paying travelers a duty of reasonable care, which includes inspecting vessel walkways, promptly fixing tripping hazards, and providing clear warnings about structural elevation changes.
If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a hazardous deck condition or cruise ship slip and fall incident, reach out to experienced legal counsel to evaluate your case and safeguard 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.
