Summary (tl;dr)

A federal jury in Miami has ordered Carnival Cruise Line to pay $300,000 to a passenger who was found to have been negligently over-served tequila, leading to her injury while on board the Carnival Radiance.

Essential Background

In January 2024, Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California, was a passenger on the Carnival Radiance cruise ship. She alleged that Carnival crew members served her at least 14 shots of tequila over an 8.5-hour period, causing her to become severely intoxicated. This over-service, she claimed, resulted in a significant fall on the ship, leading to injuries including a concussion and a possible traumatic brain injury. Carnival Corporation had sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Sanders could not identify specific crew members or the exact bars where she was over-served.

The Full Story

A Miami federal jury recently ruled in favor of Diana Sanders in her lawsuit against Carnival Corporation, finding the cruise line 60% at fault for her injuries. The jury determined that Carnival was negligent in serving Sanders at least 14 shots of tequila within an 8-hour and 39-minute timeframe on January 5, 2024. Following her extreme intoxication, Sanders suffered a severe fall between 11:45 p.m. and 12:20 a.m.. The verdict, delivered on April 10, awarded Sanders $300,000 in damages, surpassing the $250,000 her legal team had initially requested. In response, Carnival Corporation has indicated its disagreement with the verdict and stated its intention to pursue a new trial and appeal.

Why It Matters

This verdict is highly significant as it represents a rare instance of a cruise line being held liable for over-serving alcohol to a passenger and for such a case to proceed to a jury trial with a favorable outcome for the plaintiff. Legal experts note that it is challenging to bring such cases against major cruise lines to trial, as many are settled out of court. The decision underscores the responsibility of cruise lines to exercise reasonable care for passenger safety, including monitoring alcohol consumption. This outcome could set a precedent for future litigation, influencing how cruise lines manage their alcohol service policies and potentially encouraging more passengers to pursue legal action in similar circumstances.

Geographic Location

• United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States (federal jury trial and verdict)
• Onboard the Carnival Radiance (over-service of alcohol and subsequent injury)