Disney Cruise Line has to pay a former employee US$4 million, a jury in Brevard County, Florida ruled. In September 2013, now 39-year-old Maria Ana Reis Martins was a dining room server aboard MS Disney Dream that sailed to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral FL.
A car hit her while she was onshore in Nassau Bahamas, breaking 3 of her ribs. The medical team of the ship failed to diagnose her fractures and found the woman was fit for work, so she continued to serve tables for ten days. A doctor in Florida then found she had broken 3 of her ribs and the company sent the employee home to Portugal to receive treatment for 5 months.
Maria Ana Reis Martins returned to work on Disney Dream in April 2014. However, she had to leave a month later after complaining of pain in the ribs. The woman returned to Portugal and was diagnosed with nerve damage. The employee sued the cruise company in December 2015.
Earlier this month, Martins’ attorney Julio Ayala argued before a jury that Disney Cruise Line was negligent and failed to provide adequate medical care. The cruise line argued it had fulfilled its "duties of care under maritime law."
On December 19, after 5 hours of deliberation jurors found that Disney had to pay Martins US$1 million for pain and suffering, US$2 million for lost earnings and US$1 million as punishment. The jury also attributed 70% of negligence associated with her injury to the company and 30% to her.
For other Disney Dream accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.