Cruise ship waiter injures back, seeks damages

GALVESTON - A waiter from Hungary has filed suit against a cruise ship claiming he suffered a back injury while working aboard a cruise ship earlier this year, recent court documents say.

In a lawsuit filed Dec. 9 in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas, Peter Simon asserts Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. failed to take any steps last Feb. 1 to prevent said injury.

Prior to the incident in question, Simon was handling coffee cups in preparation for the guest dinner service on board the Crown Princess.

The suit says the plaintiff lifted a tray of cups when he injured his lumbar spine, insisting he lacked proper back support or suitable assistance from the respondent.

According to the original petition, the company sent Simon back to his native country to seek his own medical treatment "as the injury occurred near the completion of the plaintiff's contract."

Hungarian physicians determined the complainant suffered a herniation which caused "uncomfortable shooting pain down the plaintiff's leg."

Simon explains that his doctors ordered him to make lifestyle changes in order to "avoid straining his spine due to the disk herniation, nerve root compression and spondylosis."

Said changes prompted the plaintiff to end his waitering career as well as "to many activities the plaintiff normally enjoyed," the suit says.

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Richard D. Rusak of Brais, Brais & Associates PA in Miami is representing the plaintiff.

Case No. 3:13-CV-444