In brief
In a landmark case, a federal jury has ruled in favor of Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from California, who claimed that Carnival Cruise Line was negligent in serving her excessive amounts of alcohol. The jury awarded her $300,000 after she fell and suffered a concussion and potential traumatic brain injuries following the excessive serving of tequila on board the Carnival Radiance. The cruise line announced intentions to appeal the decision, while concerns regarding all-inclusive drink packages continue to surface.
MIAMI (AP) — In a pivotal legal decision, Carnival Cruise Line has been ordered to pay $300,000 to a former passenger after a jury found that the company acted negligently by serving excessive alcohol leading to her injury.
The verdict was delivered by a federal jury in South Florida, favoring Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California, on Friday.
Taking on a corporate giant like Carnival is a massive undertaking, and I have enormous respect for my client’s resilience throughout this 18-month litigation, said Sanders' attorney, Spencer Aronfeld. This case highlights the inherent dangers of all-inclusive drink packages, which encourage excessive consumption and pressure underpaid servers to prioritize tips over safety.
Carnival Corporation expressed its disagreement with the verdict and intends to seek a new trial and appeal.
According to the details of the lawsuit, Sanders was a passenger aboard the Carnival Radiance on January 5, 2024, where she was served at least 14 shots of tequila throughout the day. Following her fall around midnight, she sustained multiple injuries including a concussion and other trauma.
Notably, jurors were informed about 30 minutes of missing surveillance footage from the time Sanders left the Casino bar to when she was found unconscious in a crew-only area.
In a related ongoing case, the fiancée of a man who died on a Royal Caribbean cruise has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company, claiming similar overserving of alcohol led to his demise.
