What was supposed to be a fun adventure aboard a Royal Caribbean voyage quickly turned into a disaster for one family after a tour guide violently crashed into a woman on a jet ski excursion.
Leesfield & Partners has recently filed suit in the case seeking damages for the severe injuries that Royal Caribbean’s tour guide caused to our client in the crash. The case is being handled by Partner Justin B. Shapiro.
What Happened?
The incident happened in December 2024 when our client, Jessica Haro, was on a guided jet ski tour just off of Royal Caribbean’s private Island, CocoCay, Bahamas. Ms. Haro had limited previous knowledge when operating a personal watercraft but booked the tour because it was advertised as one for novice jet skiers.
On the day of the crash, two guides were tasked with monitoring 13 participants. The participants were given an insufficient safety briefing via training materials but were not shown how to operate the vessels once they were out on the water.
During the excursion, one of the guides violently crashed his jet ski into the back of Ms. Haro’s watercraft in an attempt to pass her. In the chaos, the guide’s jet ski went over the top of Ms. Haro’s jet ski and caused her severe and permanent injuries.
As a result, Ms. Haro had four traumatic fractures of her spine and significant bruising.
Not only did Royal Caribbean negligently allow a poorly trained guide to lead the tour, but the company also failed to address the clear safety issues present with their jet ski excursion as evident through at least four similar incidents that took place prior to the crash with our client.
The ongoing safety issue was known to the company who previously removed phrasing on a website advertising the tour that welcomed novice jet skiers.
In a recent media interview discussing the case, Mr. Shapiro said this incident is not one you would expect on a supervised tour where the guide is meant to be a participant’s “protector.”
“Royal Caribbean advertises these tours as no experience necessary,” Mr. Shapiro said. “And they do that in an effort to sell as many of these tours as they can … What ends up happening, they have these large groups of inexperienced, unqualified people riding around on jet skis together. It’s a recipe for disaster.”
This case is ongoing.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with over four decades of experience in maritime litigation. Throughout its extensive history, which has included numerous record settlements and verdicts throughout the state, the firm has successfully represented numerous victims in cases involving cruise ship excursions, negligent boating accidents, and jet ski injuries.
With offices located in Key West, Miami, and Orlando, Leesfield & Partners is well-versed in handling water-related accidents. Whether dealing with tragic boating fatalities or various injuries stemming from cruise ship excursions, our dedicated attorneys are relentless in securing the best possible outcomes for injured clients and their grieving families.
Previous Cruise Ship Excursion Cases
In today’s age, modern cruising is not simply about the destination, but about what activities are offered on board and what excursions can be booked. Cruise lines often compete with thrill-seeking activities offered on board such as snaking waterslides, wave simulators and more. In addition to these adrenaline-spiking activities, many cruise lines partner with tour guide companies offering a plethora of excursions for passengers. These adventures are often marketed via the cruise line’s website or social media and can be booked on the ship.
While these adventures can be the source of treasured memories and “Instagrammable” moments, Leesfield & Partners has seen far too many times how they can take a turn for the worst.
The firm previously handled a parasailing excursion gone wrong that involved the tragic death of a mother and traumatic injuries to her daughter. The duo purchased the parasailing adventure while on board their cruise ship. When they were hundreds of feet up in the air, a rope snapped, sending the two hurtling toward the water below.
Leesfield & Partners obtained a $7.25 million settlement in that case.
In a previous cruise excursion case involving the death of a family’s special needs adult son, Leesfield & Partners secured a $3 million settlement for the family. The son in that case was killed in a tragic bus crash in which he was ejected. The devastating outcome in that case was the result of the cruise line’s negligence in failing to ensure that the bus was properly maintained.
Another shore excursion accident case handled by the firm resulted in a $1.25 million recovery for the injured client.
A $600,000 settlement was obtained for a 68-year-old cruise ship passenger who sustained severe injuries, including a fractured femur, when thrown off a banana boat ride.
Previous Jet Ski Cases
In the last six years alone, Leesfield & Partners has secured well over $10 million in combined verdicts and settlements stemming from jet ski injury cases. Whether it be from crashes with other vessels on the water, fixed objects or other jet skiers, Leesfield & Partners has seen just about every instance of jet ski injury that can occur. These injuries often have tragic and permanent results, impacting every aspect of our client’s lives from future earning capabilities to the participation in everyday life.
In one jet ski case, also handled by Mr. Shapiro, the firm represented a family visiting Key West from California. As one of the activities planned during their vacation, the family booked a guided jet ski tour. During the excursion, however, the guides meant to watch over and help the family navigate both the water and the personal watercrafts, routinely sped away from the family and failed to warn them about known hazards in the area.
When the family was led under a narrow bridge, they were given no warning or instructions and the father was significantly injured in a crash as a result.
In a case that caused the death of a woman on the water, Leesfield & Partners obtained $2.8 million for the woman’s family. The rental company in that case failed to ensure that all of their customers understood their safety briefing and general instructions the day of the crash. A French-speaking tourist eventually crashed into the woman, causing her fatal injuries.
The firm previously handled a jet ski case in which attorneys secured $1.6 million for the injured client.
In a crash involving a jet ski and a boat, the firm se3cured $935,000 for the injured client.