Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is liable to the tune of $667,000 to a passenger who broke his ankle while skating on an ice rink aboard the Adventure of the Sea, a federal court jury in Florida decided.
The Oct. 2 verdict is the latest in litigation against cruise lines over their liability for zip-lines, water parks, and other onboard activities.
The jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami awarded Edgardo Lebron $42,005.75 in medical expenses and $625,000 in pain and suffering and other damages. Royal Caribbean was 65 percent negligent in the case and Lebron 35 percent negligent, according to the verdict form.
Royal Caribbean gave Lebron skates with broken laces, failed to properly maintain the rink, and didn’t adequately warn him about the dangers of skating while the ship was in motion he alleged.
Those circumstances led to his broken ankle and permanent injuries in 2016, he said.
Royal Caribbean argued it had no duty to warn Lebron of dangers readily apparent to a reasonable passenger, and it won a summary judgment as to Lebron’s ship-movement claims in August.
“Royal Caribbean takes nothing more seriously than the safety of its guests. We are considering all post-trial options,” an attorney for the cruise line told Bloomberg Law.
Counsel for Lebron didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Senior Judge Patricia A. Seitz presided at the trial. Aronfield Trial Lawyers, as well as Hardin Law PA, represented represented Lebron. Foreman Friedman PA and Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt PA represented Royal Caribbean.
The case is Lebron v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., S.D. Fla., No. 16-cv-24687, verdict 10/2/18.
By Steven M. Sellers, BNA.com
Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more
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