A Miami Federal Court has allowed a passenger assaulted by fellow passengers to bring a negligence claim against Carnival Cruises. In this case, a passenger cruising aboard the Carnival Pride was beat up by other passengers who were over served alcohol aboard the ship. The plaintiff claimed to have suffered severe permanent injuries to his face and jaw from the attack.

Carnival sought to dismiss the lawsuit by arguing the passenger failed to explain how the cruise line’s conduct caused a group of passengers to assault the plaintiff. The court rejected this argument finding as a matter of law the injured plaintiff’s complaint adequately alleged the cruise line’s conduct of over serving alcohol to adolescent males lead to the attack.

Claims by cruise ship passengers who are victims of assault due to the over service of alcohol are on the rise. The sale of alcohol is a main profit center for the cruise lines. In fact, this law firm has discovered when certain cruise ships are not meeting its profitability quotas, they offer more alcohol related activities in order to encourage passengers to purchase more alcohol. Sadly when the cruise lines’ business goals are in direct odds with passenger safety, passengers tend to become victims of physical and sexual assaults.

The cruise lawyers of BBR are very experienced with passenger assault claims. Feel free to contact our firm should you wish to learn more about your legal rights as a cruise passenger.