A magician has filed a lawsuit after being assaulted while working on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Australian magician Ben Murphy filed his lawsuit in federal court against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and the yet-to-be identified assailant.
According to the complaint, Murphy was working aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas on March 1, 2023. While on stage performing, Murphy says he was attacked by one of the passengers. He says Royal Caribbean knows the name of the assailant because the company sold him a ticket and performed an investigation after the incident.
Murphy, who says he has been employed as an entertainer on various Royal Caribbean vessels since 2010, claims Royal Caribbean served the unnamed assailant with 10 or more alcoholic drinks that day.
He says the assailant violently slammed him to the floor, causing him to injure his neck and back. He says he continues to receive treatment for his neck, and he says back surgery has been recommended.
Murphy says the company failed to intervene before he was attacked, and he also says the company failed to provide him with prompt and adequate medical care aboard the ship and has failed to properly manage his medical care since then.
He accuses Royal Caribbean of negligence, claiming the company failed to provide a safe working environment. He asserts causes of action under federal law, specifically under the Jones Act and the General Maritime Law of the United States.
Murphy seeks compensatory damages, costs, interest and other relief.