Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California, has won a lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Line with a massive payout of $300,000.
Sanders was on a trip on the Carnival Radiance cruise ship in April 2025, when, on April 5, she suffered an accident after having 14 tequila shots. She claims Carnival was negligent as they served 14 rounds of tequila shots to her, a few within an hour.
She then fell down some stairs aboard the cruise ship while she was intoxicated and was later found unconscious in a crew-only area. She claimed that she suffered a possible traumatic brain injury. A federal jury in South Florida ruled in her favor on Wednesday.
Here are 5 things to know about Diana Sanders and her lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Line.
5 Things To Know On Dana Sanders
1. Positive Update After 18-Month Litigation
The ruling in favor of Dana Sanders came after nearly an 18-month-long litigation. The case was first filed at the Miami federal court in South Florida back in November 2024. It is a rare case of ruling in favor of a passenger in litigation with a cruise ship company.
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2. Decision Not Yet Final
Though the South Florida court ruled in its favor, Carnival Cruise Line rejected the verdict, noting that there is a scope of appeal. In case an appeal goes through, Dana Sanders may have to go through further litigation before she can get a payout.
3. Payout Significantly Higher Than What Asked For
The payout ordered by the Miami jury is significantly larger than what Dana Sanders had asked for in her lawsuit. She had claimed $250,000 in damages, her lawyer Spencer Aronfeld had told the Miami Herald. But the judges awarded her $300,000 instead.
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4. Carnival Cruise Most At Fault
The jury at the Miami court ruled that Carnival Cruise Line was largely at fault for overserving tequila to Dana Sanders. The New York Post reports that the jury found Carnival 60% at fault, while Sanders herself at 40%.
5. Carnival Disputes Narrative
Carnival Cruise Line has argued against the charges of overserving alcohol to Dana Sanders, suggesting that the incident may not have happened. They claimed Sanders’ inability “to identify any crew member who overserved her or which bar she consumed alcohol at” disputes allegations.
