Carlisle v Carnival Corporation and Ors (The "Ecstasy") - District Ct of Appeal of Florida (3rd District)(Cope and Ramirez JJ and Nesbitt, Senior Judge) - 27 August 2003

Negligence - Ship's doctor alleged to have misdiagnosed passenger's illness - Whether cruise line vicariously liable for negligence of ship's doctor

In March 1997 the Carlisle family embarked on a cruise aboard Carnival Corporation's cruise ship Ecstasy. During the cruise, 14 year old Elizabeth Carlisle felt ill with abdominal pain, lower back pain and diarrhoea and was seen several times in the ship's hospital by the ship's doctor. He told the Carlisles that Elizabeth was suffering from the flu, and assured them that it was not appendicitis. Ultimately, the Carlisle family decided to discontinue their cruise and returned home to Michigan where Elizabeth was diagnosed as having a ruptured appendix. Her appendix was removed, and as a result of the rupture and subsequent infection, Elizabeth was rendered sterile.