Diana Sanders: 5 things to know about Carnival cruise passenger wins $300K lawsuit over tequila dispute
Diana Sanders is a 45-year-old nurse from Vacaville. californiawon a lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Line and received a massive $300,000 in damages.
In April 2025, Sanders was traveling on the Carnival Radiance cruise ship, and on April 5, she was involved in a car accident. ACCIDENT After 14 shots of tequila. She claims Carnival Corporation was negligent and served her 14 rounds of tequila, several of which were done within an hour.
She then fell down some stairs on the cruise ship while in a drunken state and was later found unconscious in a crew-only area. She claimed she may have suffered a traumatic brain injury. A federal jury in South Florida ruled in her favor on Wednesday.
Here are 5 things you need to know about Diana Sanders and her litigation Against Carnival Cruise Line.
5 things you need to know about Dana Sanders
1. Positive developments after 18 months of litigation
After nearly 18 months of litigation, Dana Sanders ruled in her favor. The case was first filed in November 2024 in Miami federal court in South Florida. It’s a rare case of ruling in favor of a passenger in a lawsuit with a cruise line.
2. The decision is not final yet
Although a South Florida court ruled in its favor, Carnival Cruise Line rejected the ruling, noting that there was scope for an appeal. If the appeal is successful, Dana Sanders may have to go through further litigation to receive compensation.
3. Pay significantly more than required
The Miami jury ordered far more damages than Dana Sanders sought in her lawsuit. Her attorney, Spencer Aronfeld, told the Miami Herald she is seeking $250,000 in damages. But the judge awarded her $300,000.
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4. Carnival cruises are the most problematic
A Miami court jury found that Carnival Cruise Line was grossly at fault for providing too much tequila to Dana Sanders. The New York Post reported that the jury found Carnival 60 percent at fault and Sanders himself 40 percent at fault.
5. Narrative of carnival disputes
Carnival Cruise Line has refuted accusations that Dana Sanders drank too much, suggesting the incident may not have happened at all. They disputed the charge by claiming Sanders could not “identify any of the crew members who overserved her or the bar where she drank.”
