Martins v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

174 F. Supp. 3d 1345, 2016 A.M.C. 873, 2016 WL 1254067, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42516
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 29, 2016
DocketCASE NO. 15-21124-CIV-GOODMAN
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 174 F. Supp. 3d 1345 (Martins v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martins v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., 174 F. Supp. 3d 1345, 2016 A.M.C. 873, 2016 WL 1254067, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42516 (S.D. Fla. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER ON DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS

Jonathan Goodman, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

This matter arises from the death of Briana Martins (“Briana”), :a seventeen-year-old resident of New Jersey, aboard the vessel Explorer of the Seas, operated by Defendant Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. (“Defendant” or “RCCL”), in August of 2013. [ECF No. 1]. Plaintiffs1 allege [1348]*1348that- Briana’s death was caused by the ingestion of bacteria-ridden food aboard the Explorer of the Seas, that the shipboard medical staff negligently treated Briana’s- illness, and that, individually, Marla, Costa, G.E. and Tatiana suffered extreme emotional distress because ■ of RCCL’s negligence. [Id.].

In a motion, RCCL seeks to dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint, or, in the alternative, to strike impermissible claims for damages and Plaintiffs’ individual claims. [ECF No. 7]. Having reviewed the complaint, the motion, the response, the reply and the pertinent portions of the record, for the reasons outlined below, the Undersigned denies in large part and grants in small part Defendant’s motion to dismiss.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. Procedural History

Plaintiffs filed a seven-count complaint alleging: wrongful death under the Death on the High Seas Act (“DOHSA”) (Count I); alternative wrongful death under DOHSA based upon apparent agency (Count II); negligent hiring, retention and training (Count III); and negligent infliction of emotional distress (“NIED”) for Marla, Costa, G.E. and Tatiana (Counts IV-VII). [ECF No. 1]. RCCL filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint, or, in the alternative, to strike impermissible claims for damages and Plaintiffs’ individual claims. [ECF No. 7]. Plaintiffs responded in. opposition. [ECF No. 8]. Defendant filed a reply in support' of the motion. [ECF No. 10],

Specifically, RCCL’s motion seeks to dismiss or strike certain pleadings on five separate grounds. First, Defendant moves to dismiss Counts IV through VII with prejudice, . arguing that DOHSA preempts claims for NIED, or, alternatively, that Plaintiffs have not alleged sufficient facts to support NIED claims. [ECF No. 7, pp. 3-9]. Second, Defendant contends that Plaintiffs have not alleged sufficient facts to support their claim for negligent hiring, retention and training. [Id., at pp. 9-11]. Third, RCCL argues that Plaintiffs’ complaint violates Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8 by improperly incorporating by reference all previously-stated facts for each count, thereby creating an impermissible “shotgun” pleading. [Id., at pp. 11-13]. Fourth, Defendant contends that Plaintiffs’ claims for damages under Florida and Bahamian law should be stricken. [Id., at pp. 13-16]. And finally, RCCL argues that Plaintiffs’ individual claims should be stricken. [Id., at pp. 16-17].

B. Facts2

Plaintiffs and Briana boarded the Explorer of the Seas on August 22, 2013 as paying passengers for a cruise vacation scheduled to return on August 31, 2013. [ECF No. 1, p. 3], From the time they boarded the ship, Briana and Plaintiffs all consumed only food prepared and provided by Defendant. [Id.]. Between August 24, 2013 and August 26, 2013, Briana ingested bacteria-ridden food prepared by Defendant aboard the Explorer of the Seas. [Id., at p. 4],

Briana first reported to the shipboard medical facility on the evening of August [1349]*134927, 2013, complaining of vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, which began early that morning. [Id.]. Briana advised the shipboard medical staff that she had- baria-tric surgery approximately a year before. [Id.]. The shipboard medical staff administered Metoclopramide and Dicyclomine and sent Briana back to her room with Metoclopramide and Imodium capsules. [7d]. Hours later, this time with Briana in a wheelchair, Marla and Briana returned to the shipboard medical facility and advised that Briana continued to suffer from her previous symptoms and now was also hyperventilating, had pain in her shoulders and chest and a burning sensation in her abdomen. [Id., at pp. 4-5], Shipboard medical staff conducted a complete blood count (“CBC”) test and determined that Briana’s results were normal, so they advised her to take the previously-provided medications and return to her cabin.

At approximately 9:30 AM, while the ship was at port in Labadee, Haiti,3 Marla, Costa and G.E. returned to their cabin from breakfast and found Briana vomiting in the shower. [Id., at p. 6], Briana collapsed on the shower floor in front of Marla. [Id.]. Costa, G.E. and Tatiana also entered the bathroom and witnessed Briana collapsed on the floor with Marla while still vomiting. [Id.]. Costa attempted to help Briana sit upright, while Tatiana stroked Briana’s hair. [Id.]., The shipboard nurse responded to an emergency call from the cabin and confirmed that Briana had no pulse, was not breathing and. still had vomit in her mouth. [Id]. Additional medical staff were called. [Id.]. Resuscitation efforts by additional shipboard medical staff were unsuccessful and Briana was pronounced dead at the scene. [Id., at p. 7], Briana died of peritonitis due to small bowel anastomotic perforation. [Id.].

Additionally, Plaintiffs contend that the shipboard medical staff were acting as employees or actual agents of Defendant in various ways. [Id., at pp. 7-9].

II. LEGAL PRINCIPLES

In reviewing a motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b) (6), a court must take all well-pleaded facts in the plaintiffs complaint and all reasonable inferences drawn from those facts as true. Jackson v. Okaloosa Cnty., Fla., 21 F.3d 1531, 1534 (11th Cir.1994). “A pleading must contain ‘a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.’” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 677-78, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a) (2)j. While detailed factual allegations are not always necessary in order to prevent dismissal of a complaint, the allegations must “ ‘give the defendant fair notice of what the ... claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.’ ” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957)).

A complaint must provide “more than labels and conclusions” or “a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955. See also Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Morrison v. Synovus Bank
S.D. Florida, 2025
Amin v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
349 F. Supp. 3d 1338 (N.D. Georgia, 2018)
Broberg v. Carnival Corp.
303 F. Supp. 3d 1313 (S.D. Florida, 2017)
Blair v. NCL (Bahamas) Ltd.
212 F. Supp. 3d 1264 (S.D. Florida, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
174 F. Supp. 3d 1345, 2016 A.M.C. 873, 2016 WL 1254067, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42516, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martins-v-royal-caribbean-cruises-ltd-flsd-2016.