A new amended complaint filed in federal court alleges that Carnival Corporation, through its hand-selected excursion operators, is responsible for catastrophic injuries to a 22-year-old woman just two weeks after she graduated summa cum laude from college. The lawsuit, filed by Brais Law Firm and Scolaro, P.A. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Case No. 1:25-cv-25952-WPD), details a harrowing sequence of events on May 12, 2025, during a Carnival-branded excursion in Nassau, Bahamas.
According to the amended complaint, Hannah Smith booked the "Pearl Island Beach Escape with Lunch" excursion through Carnival's website, which represented that Carnival "hand-selected the best local providers at every port of call" and that its operators were "reliable [and] reputable" with the "best reputation." The excursion was operated by Carnival's shoreside contractors, Pearl Island and Sun Cay. Upon arrival at Pearl Island, bartenders allegedly plied Smith and her companions with "copious and unsafe amounts of alcohol," starting with a complimentary 16 oz. rum punch, followed by coerced "liter pours" of alcohol mixed with a drug. Unbeknownst to Smith, her drinks had been spiked with a drug-facilitated-sexual-assault (DFSA) and sedating substance. Within about an hour and eleven minutes, her estimated blood alcohol content exceeded four times the legal limit.
During the return trip aboard a catamaran ferry, Smith asked a crewmember for a restroom and was told to "use the water," consistent with earlier instructions on the island that "the ocean is your toilet." Grossly impaired, she entered the water from the ferry's aft dive platform. The captain, who had an unobstructed view, then engaged the ferry's engine, causing the propeller to turn in reverse. With no warning or crewmember present, Smith was violently sucked into the propeller, resulting in the immediate traumatic amputation of her left leg below the knee and catastrophic injuries to her right leg. She ultimately required three successive amputations, culminating in a complete hip disarticulation—removal of the entire right leg. She lost over 60% of her total blood volume, underwent more than 25 surgeries, and was hospitalized for over two months. Her medical care is alleged to exceed ten million dollars.
The complaint alleges that complaints of extreme alcohol overservice and marijuana distribution on this excursion predated Smith's injuries by at least six years. Prior reviews document unsafe practices, including a catamaran failing to tie off properly with engines running during passenger disembarkation, a passenger's leg injury from the boarding gap, and a post headlined "Avoid this dangerous dump." The complaint further alleges that Carnival deleted and suppressed negative passenger reviews of this excursion from its website. Carnival's own bridge officers could observe these dangerous practices from the Carnival Celebration at the Nassau pier.
The lawsuit asserts claims against Carnival for negligent selection and retention, negligent supervision, failure to warn, apparent agency, and joint venture liability. Direct negligence claims, including overservice of alcohol and DFSA spiking, are asserted against Pearl Island and Sun Cay, which have filed motions to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction.
Despite her injuries, Smith has chosen to use her experience to help others. In 2026, she was invited to speak as a keynote survivor at the HCA Florida Trauma Survivors Luncheon, addressing medical professionals and fellow survivors. Her story was featured by LiveNOW from FOX: College Graduate Who Lost Both Legs Speaks Out.
Keith S. Brais, Board Certified Admiralty and Maritime Attorney and lead counsel for Smith, stated, "Hannah graduated summa cum laude and was two weeks into celebrating that achievement when Carnival's own hand-selected operators spiked her drinks, poured alcohol down her throat, and directed a grossly impaired young woman into the water alongside a ferry whose captain was using running engines... The evidence raises serious questions about what Carnival knew, what it ignored for years, and what it actively concealed."
Co-counsel Thomas Scolaro added, "This is not just about one young woman's injuries... It is about an industry practice of placing revenue over passenger safety and hiding the evidence."
