Nurse Wins Lawsuit Against Carnival Corporation
A nurse from California has reportedly secured $300,000 from Carnival Corporation after claiming that the cruise line’s bar staff overserved her tequila, leading to a serious fall. Diana Sanders, 45, stated in her complaint that she was offered around 14 shots within nine hours while aboard the Carnival Radiance on January 5, 2024.
According to the lawsuit, Sanders suffered from severe intoxication, which led to her fall between 11:45 PM and shortly after midnight. The incident resulted in “serious injuries,” including a concussion, headaches, back injuries, and bruising. There were also concerns about a potential traumatic brain injury.
In a TikTok video shared with her attorney Spencer Aronfeld after the verdict, Sanders recalled waking up disoriented and not understanding how she ended up underneath the stairs in the crew area. She expressed her frustration over the conflicting information she received from the crew when seeking help. “I felt like I was being bullied,” she said, describing the past two years as challenging due to the legal battle.
Sanders’ legal team argued that the bar staff should have stopped serving her once she appeared visibly intoxicated. Court documents highlighted that the crew had a responsibility to supervise passengers exhibiting dangerous behavior.
The jury ultimately ruled in Sanders’ favor, granting her $300,000—more than the $250,000 initially sought. The court determined that Carnival was 60% responsible for the incident, assigning 40% of the fault to Sanders herself.
This case marks a rare instance where a lawsuit against a large cruise line ended in favor of a passenger. According to Aronfeld, despite many overservice claims, few have reached a resolution in court.
Carnival Corporation requested the dismissal of the lawsuit on the grounds that Sanders had not identified the specific crew member who overserved her or the bar in question. Their legal team argued this inadequacy should lead to a dismissal of the excessive alcohol service claim.
A spokesperson for Carnival stated that the cruise line disagrees with the court’s judgment and intends to seek a new trial and appeal. Meanwhile, the cruise line had not yet responded to requests for further comments.
