Texas Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Tripping Over Unmarked Threshold Aboard Carnival Dream
Cruise Ship Passenger Injury Lawsuit Involving Threshold Trip Hazard on Carnival Drea
On March 18, 2025, Naida Davis v. Carnival Corporation (Case No. 1:25-cv-21272) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Plaintiff Naida Davis, a Texas resident, alleges that Carnival Cruise Line negligently created and failed to remedy a dangerous tripping hazard aboard the Carnival Dream that caused her to suffer severe injuries during a summer 2024 cruise.
The incident occurred on August 11, 2024, as Davis was walking toward the Crimson Dining Room on Deck 3 at approximately 5:45 p.m. Davis tripped over an unmarked and visually camouflaged metal threshold embedded in the tile floor, which lacked the yellow warning tape found on other thresholds throughout the ship. As a result of her fall, Davis sustained serious injuries including a Jones fracture in her left foot, left knee trauma, nerve damage leading to drop foot, and a herniated disc.
Carnival Dream Lawsuit Alleges Negligent Maintenance of Dangerous Threshold in Walkway
According to the complaint, the threshold where Davis tripped was unreasonably dangerous due to its design and placement:
- The metal strip protruded above the surrounding floor.
- It was visually indistinguishable from the surrounding tile.
- The threshold lacked warning markings despite similar thresholds elsewhere on the vessel being highlighted with yellow tape.
Davis alleges that Carnival either created the hazard or allowed it to persist through negligent maintenance. Crew members were reportedly within eyesight both before and after the incident but took no action to warn passengers or assist Davis. The complaint further states that Carnival had ample opportunity to inspect, identify, and correct the hazard but failed to do so.
Cruise Line Negligence Lawsuit Cites Industry Standards and Prior Passenger Falls
In support of her claim, Davis references multiple safety standards, including:
- OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces Regulation (29 CFR §1910.22), which requires walkways to be hazard-free.
- ADA Design Standards §404.2.5, prohibiting protruding objects that may pose tripping risks.
- Carnival’s own safety policies, which require clear and safe walkways on board cruise ships.
The lawsuit also alleges that other passengers have experienced similar trip incidents aboard the Carnival Dream and other Carnival-owned ships, suggesting a broader pattern of neglect.
The complaint includes photographic evidence comparing the subject threshold (unmarked) to other properly marked thresholds on the ship. The failure to use the same visual warnings, the lawsuit claims, demonstrates Carnival’s knowledge of the risk yet inconsistency in its hazard prevention protocols.
Legal Claims for Failure to Remedy and Failure to Warn of Trip Hazard on Cruise Ship
Davis brings multiple negligence-based claims against Carnival Cruise Line under general maritime law, including:
- Negligent Failure to Remedy a Known Dangerous Condition: Davis alleges Carnival had actual or constructive knowledge of the threshold’s hazardous condition and failed to take appropriate corrective measures.
- Negligent Failure to Warn of Hidden Dangers Aboard Cruise Ship: The threshold was not open and obvious to passengers and lacked any visual warnings.
- Negligent Design and Installation of Walkway Threshold on Carnival Dream: Davis asserts Carnival was involved in the design and approval of the Dream’s thresholds, including the dangerous one in question, and failed to comply with industry best practices.
- Vicarious Liability for Crew Negligence in Designing and Maintaining Hazardous Walkways: The complaint alleges that Carnival’s internal design and refurbishment teams had control over threshold design, selection, and placement, and continued to implement the same design despite known risks.
These overlapping claims aim to show that Carnival is both directly and vicariously liable for Davis’s injuries.
Carnival Cruise Line Faces Ongoing Scrutiny Over Passenger Trip-and-Fall Hazards
This lawsuit adds to a growing list of cruise ship personal injury claims stemming from poor walkway design, improper maintenance, and failure to warn passengers of hidden hazards. As the cruise industry continues to modernize its ships, the Davis case highlights key legal and safety concerns:
- Should cruise lines proactively inspect and mark all protruding thresholds?
- Can prior incidents across a fleet establish constructive notice of known hazards?
- Are Carnival’s design and refurbishment teams failing to meet modern safety standards?
Injured on a Cruise Ship Due to Unsafe Walkways? Protect Your Legal Rights
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a tripping hazard or unsafe condition on a cruise ship, you may be entitled to compensation under maritime law. Contact a maritime injury attorney to evaluate your case and discuss your legal options.
