Carnival Passenger Gets $300K for Being Overserved

Carnival Cruise Line must pay $300,000 to a former passenger after a federal jury in South Florida found the company was negligent in serving the woman more than a dozen shots of tequila before she fell down some stairs and suffered a possible traumatic brain injury. The Miami federal jury decided last Friday in favor of Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California, per the AP. "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," Sanders' attorney Spencer 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."

According to the lawsuit, Sanders was a passenger aboard the Carnival Radiance on Jan. 5, 2024, when she was served at least 14 shots between approximately 3pm and 11:30pm. She experienced a fall some time between 11:45pm and 12:20am that caused her to suffer a concussion, headaches, a possible traumatic brain injury, back injuries, tailbone injuries, bruising, and other injuries, the complaint said. Aronfeld said jurors were 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. A statement from Carnival Corporation said it respectfully disagrees with the verdict and believes there are grounds for a new trial and appeal, which it will pursue.