MIAMI — A Miami federal jury awarded $300,000 last Friday to Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California, after finding Carnival Cruise Line negligent in serving her at least 14 shots of tequila before she fell aboard one of its ships and suffered a possible traumatic brain injury.
The verdict puts renewed scrutiny on all-inclusive drink packages sold by major cruise lines, which Sanders’ attorney said create financial incentives that pressure crew members to serve alcohol without regard to passengers’ safety.
What happened aboard the Carnival Radiance
Sanders was a passenger aboard the Carnival Radiance on Jan. 5, 2024, according to the lawsuit. Ship staff served her at least 14 shots of tequila between approximately 2:58 p.m. and 11:37 p.m. She fell sometime between 11:45 p.m. and 12:20 a.m., sustaining a concussion, headaches, back injuries, tailbone injuries, bruising, and a possible traumatic brain injury, the complaint said.
Jurors were also presented with evidence of 30 minutes of missing surveillance video from the time Sanders left the Casino bar until she was found unconscious in a crew-only area, according to her attorney, Spencer Aronfeld.
Attorney’s statement
“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,” Aronfeld said in an email. “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 plans to appeal
A statement from Carnival Corporation said the company respectfully disagrees with the verdict and believes there are grounds for a new trial and appeal, which it will pursue.
A separate case involving Royal Caribbean
The Carnival verdict comes as a separate lawsuit against Royal Caribbean remains ongoing. The fiancée of a man who died on a cruise ship filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Royal Caribbean last year, alleging the company negligently served him at least 33 alcoholic drinks and that crew members tackled him to the ground and stood on him with their full body weight, according to the Associated Press.