The lawsuit described Sanders’ experience aboard the Carnival Radiance on January 5, 2024. She was served “at least 14 shots” of tequila between approximately 2:50 p.m. and 11:37 p.m. the same evening. Sometime around midnight, Sanders fell down a staircase. She sustained multiple physical injuries, including a concussion, headaches, and another possible traumatic brain injury. Sanders also suffered a tailbone injury and developed extensive bruising.
Carnival Cruise Line must pay $300,000 to a passenger who claimed that she was injured in a serious fall after being served an excessive amount of alcohol over an eight-hour period.
According to The Associated Press, plaintiff Diana Sanders was served more than a dozen shots of tequila before falling down a flight of stairs. She sustained physical injuries, including a possible traumatic brain injury.
“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 Spencer Aronfeld, an attorney for the 45-year-old plaintiff. “This case highlights the inherent dangers of all-inclusive drink packages, which encourage excessive consumption and pressure underpaid servers to prioritize tips over safety.”
A statement from Carnival indicated that the cruise line disagrees with the verdict and likely intends to appeal the jury’s verdict.
“Carnival Corporation respectfully disagrees with the verdict and believes there are grounds for a new trial and appeal, which it will pursue,” the company said in a statement.
During the trial, lawyers for Sanders argued that the ship’s bartenders should have cut her off when she became visibly intoxicated, a practice common on land. Carnival, they claimed, routinely prioritizes the profits of on-board alcohol sales to the detriment of passenger safety.
Carnival “deliberately designs its vessels … to ensure that there are alcohol serving stations in every nook and cranny of the ship,” attorneys wrote in one filing.
In its own defense, Carnival observed that Sanders was unable to identify any crew member who over-served her or which bar she consumed alcohol at” on the ship.
“Therefore, the over-service of alcohol count should be dismissed for failure to sufficiently identify a negligent employee,” the company argued.
The lawsuit described Sanders’ experience aboard the Carnival Radiance on January 5, 2024. She was served “at least 14 shots” of tequila between approximately 2:50 p.m. and 11:37 p.m. the same evening. Sometime around midnight, Sanders fell down a staircase. She sustained multiple physical injuries, including a concussion, headaches, and another possible traumatic brain injury. Sanders also suffered a tailbone injury and developed extensive bruising.
Aronfeld said that, during trial, jurors were presented with evidence including a 30-minute excerpt from missing surveillance camera footage, which showed the time from when Sanders left the Casino bar until she was found unconscious in a crew-only area.
Sources
After Being Served 14 Shots of Tequila, Cruise Passenger Wins $300,000 in Carnival Lawsuit
Injured passenger awarded $300,000 after a Miami federal jury finds Carnival overserved her alcohol
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