Nurse Wins $300K After Cruise Tequila Incident
- A NorCal nurse was served 15 tequila shots on a cruise ship and later fell into a crew-only area. - A jury awarded her roughly $300,000 after finding the cruise line liable for the incident. - The verdict highlights passenger safety and crew conduct issues on cruises nationwide (patch.com).
A Miami federal jury awarded $300,000 to a California nurse after finding Carnival negligent for overserving her tequila before a serious fall. (abcnews.com) The passenger, Diana Sanders, is a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville, California. Jurors ruled on April 10, 2026, after hearing evidence that she was served at least 14 tequila shots aboard the Carnival Radiance. (usatoday.com) Court records cited by multiple outlets say the drinks were served over about 8 1/2 hours, from 2:58 p.m. to 11:37 p.m. on January 5, 2024, before Sanders fell down stairs and was later found unconscious in a crew-only area five decks below. (yahoo.com) The case turned on a basic duty bars and cruise lines face: stop serving alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated. Sanders’ lawsuit said crew members kept serving her while she was slurring her speech, smelled of alcohol, and acted belligerently in plain view. (nbcchicago.com) The jury did not put all the blame on Carnival. It found Carnival 60% responsible and Sanders 40% responsible, a split that let her recover damages while still assigning part of the fault to her own drinking. (cruiselawnews.com) The verdict stands out because cruise injury cases usually run through federal court in South Florida under ticket contracts that steer lawsuits there. Sanders filed suit in November 2024, and her lawyer said the $300,000 award was about $250,000 more than her side asked the jury to grant at trial. (today.com) Carnival has not accepted the outcome. A company spokesperson said Carnival “respectfully disagrees with the verdict” and believes it has grounds for a new trial and an appeal. (today.com) The case also lands as cruise lines face wider scrutiny over onboard alcohol service. A separate lawsuit against Royal Caribbean alleges a passenger was served 33 or more drinks before he died, putting overservice practices across the industry under a brighter legal spotlight. (nurse.org) For now, Sanders has a jury verdict, not a final uncontested payout. If Carnival follows through on post-trial motions or an appeal, the $300,000 award could still be reduced, upheld, or sent back for more court proceedings. (allaboutlawyer.com)
