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Florida Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Elevator Doors Crush Her Shoulder on Carnival Glory
Tonya O’Bonnon, a resident of Lakeland, Florida, 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-23678-KMM, alleges that O’Bonnon suffered serious and lasting injuries after the elevator doors on Deck 5 of the Carnival Glory abruptly closed on her, crushing her right shoulder as she attempted to enter.
Cruise Passenger Injured by Malfunctioning Elevator Doors on Carnival Glory
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on August 24, 2024, while O’Bonnon was entering an elevator aboard the Carnival Glory during a cruise that departed from Orlando, Florida. As she stepped inside, the elevator doors allegedly shut without warning and failed to detect her presence, slamming against her right shoulder. O’Bonnon asserts that the impact caused serious injuries, including trauma requiring surgery and extensive medical care onboard and after her return home.
The complaint further claims that a Carnival crewmember acknowledged the elevator had a known issue with its sensor system, indicating prior knowledge of the malfunction.
Carnival Accused of Failing to Maintain Elevator and Ignoring Industry Safety Standards
The lawsuit alleges that Carnival failed to maintain the elevator in a reasonably safe condition. Specifically, the complaint cites a lack of proper safety mechanisms—such as functioning infrared or photoelectric sensors—that would detect passengers standing between the doors and prevent them from closing. O’Bonnon also claims that Carnival violated maritime safety regulations and failed to inspect or monitor the elevator to ensure it operated properly.
The complaint references established international elevator safety codes, including ASME A17.1 and ISO 8383, alleging that Carnival failed to comply with these standards. The lawsuit argues that such failures created a foreseeable and preventable hazard for passengers.
Multiple Prior Lawsuits Highlight Pattern of Elevator Door Injuries on Carnival Ships
O’Bonnon’s complaint outlines more than a dozen prior lawsuits involving similar elevator-related injuries aboard various Carnival ships. These cases include:
- Lambert v. Carnival (2023): Elevator doors on Deck 7 of Carnival Glory closed on a passenger.
- Aguilar v. Carnival (2023): A Carnival Mardi Gras passenger required surgery after being caught in a malfunctioning elevator door.
- Thomas v. Carnival (2024): Passenger injured by elevator doors on Carnival Conquest.
- Butler v. Carnival (2020): Passenger’s upper body was struck by elevator doors on Carnival Sunrise.
The lawsuit alleges that these cases demonstrate Carnival’s actual or constructive knowledge of faulty elevator door systems across its fleet. Despite this, O’Bonnon claims the company failed to implement fleet-wide safety measures or warn passengers about the danger.
Complaint Alleges Carnival Failed to Warn of Non-Obvious and Dangerous Elevator Condition
In addition to negligent maintenance, the lawsuit includes a claim for negligent failure to warn. O’Bonnon asserts that Carnival failed to provide signage, crew warnings, or verbal advisories alerting passengers to the risk of the elevator doors closing prematurely. The hazard, the complaint states, was not open or obvious, especially on a modern cruise ship where passengers expect elevators to be equipped with functional safety sensors.
Carnival is accused of breaching its duty of care by failing to disclose the risk despite its knowledge of prior incidents and elevator defects.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Shoulder Injury, Surgeries, and Loss of Cruise Enjoyment
O’Bonnon seeks compensation for bodily injury, medical expenses, disfigurement, emotional distress, lost earnings, and loss of enjoyment of life. Her injuries are described as severe and ongoing, requiring surgical intervention and resulting in permanent impairment. She also requests damages for the lost value of her cruise vacation and future medical costs.
The lawsuit demands a jury trial and holds Carnival liable under two counts: negligent failure to maintain and negligent failure to warn.
Contact a Cruise Ship Elevator Injury Attorney If You Were Hurt on Board
Elevator door malfunctions aboard cruise ships can result in devastating injuries when cruise lines fail to inspect and maintain these critical systems. If you or a loved one has been injured by a faulty elevator or other mechanical hazard aboard a cruise vessel, you may be entitled to compensation under maritime law.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship injury attorney experienced in elevator-related accidents.
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.
