A woman in wheelchair crashed down the ramp of a Carnival cruise ship after staff failed to help her, lawsuit alleges

• A woman in a wheelchair sued Carnival Cruise Lines last week, documents seen by Insider show.
• The 61-year-old amputee alleges that she was not helped by crew members while disembarking a ship.

A woman in a wheelchair crashed down the gangway of a Carnival cruise ship last year after staff failed to help her, a lawsuit filed last week alleges.

The lawsuit, seen by Insider, alleges that Teresa Phillip, a 61-year-old amputee, was seriously injured after she tried to disembark from Carnival Cruise Line's "Mardi Gras" ship in October 2022.

A spokesperson for the cruise company did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the suit.

According to the lawsuit, the ship was docked at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic when Philip, who was on an eight-day vacation, wanted to get off and explore the area.

But when she approached the gangway ramp connecting the ship with the port's dock, she received "no assistance" from any crew members present, the complaint alleges.

The complaint alleges that Phillip's wheelchair then started going down the ramp "at a rapid speed" and was "struck by a board/panel that was 'sticking out' of the side of the ramp."

The complaint alleges that the impact caused the 61-year-old to fall out of her wheelchair and onto the floor, causing her "serious and permanent injuries, scarring and disability."

Phillip is seeking undisclosed damages in her lawsuit

On its website, Carnival said it is "committed to accommodating its guests with disabilities so they can fully, yet safely, enjoy the ports of call."

"Guests wishing to disembark the vessel on their mobility device must be able to safely navigate the angle of the gangway while the ship is docked in port," the website added.

Lawyers for the plaintiff did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.