A federal jury in Miami has ordered Carnival Corporation to pay $300,000 in damages to a passenger who was served at least 14 shots of tequila in a single day. The verdict concludes a rare legal battle regarding the responsibility of cruise lines to monitor guest alcohol consumption.
The incident on Carnival Radiance
The lawsuit was filed by Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California. The events took place on Jan. 5, 2024, while she was a guest aboard the Carnival Radiance.
According to court documents, Sanders consumed at least 14 shots of tequila over a span of approximately eight hours and 39 minutes, specifically between 2:58 p.m. and 11:37 p.m. Due to her extreme intoxication, she suffered a severe fall shortly before midnight. Her injuries included:
Legal arguments and Carnival’s defense
Throughout 17 months of legal proceedings, Carnival Corporation attempted to have the case dismissed multiple times. The company argued that Ms. Sanders failed to identify specific crew members or the exact bars where the over-service occurred. Defense lawyers further claimed there were no allegations of Sanders stumbling or slurring her words to alert staff of her condition.
However, the plaintiff’s legal team argued that Carnival deliberately encourages high alcohol consumption to maximize revenue, placing service stations in “every nook and cranny” of the ship. The six-person jury ultimately found that the cruise line had a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of its passengers.
The verdict and aftermath
On Friday, the jury reached a decision, assigning 60% of the fault to Carnival and 40% to Ms. Sanders. The final award of $300,000 actually exceeded the $250,000 originally requested during the trial.
Attorney Spencer Aronfield noted that while he has settled many over-service cases in the past, it is extremely rare for such a case to go the “full distance” to a jury verdict. A spokesperson for Carnival stated that the company respectfully disagrees with the verdict and intends to pursue a new trial and appeal.
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