Estate Sues Royal Caribbean for Wrongful Death After Stroke Victim Denied Emergency Care
Heather Hoyt, acting as personal representative for the Estate of Beverly Anne Dulaney, has filed a wrongful death and maritime negligence lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Group in the Southern District of Florida. The case, filed under Case No. 1:25-cv-23761, alleges that 73-year-old Dulaney died after shipboard medical personnel aboard the Enchantment of the Seas delayed emergency stroke treatment until her family provided credit card payment.
Cruise Passenger Dies After Allegedly Being Denied Stroke Care Until Credit Card Payment Approved Aboard Enchantment of the Seas
According to the complaint, Dulaney was a passenger aboard the Enchantment of the Seas during an August 2024 cruise. On August 22, she visited the ship’s medical bay with complaints of chest pain and difficulty breathing. Although she was treated with oxygen and discharged, she collapsed in her cabin the next morning—August 23—exhibiting signs of a stroke. Despite obvious stroke symptoms, the shipboard medical staff allegedly refused to initiate emergency treatment or escalate care until a family member provided payment via credit card.
The lawsuit asserts that Royal Caribbean’s medical team failed to follow stroke protocols, delayed contacting shoreside support, and did not promptly arrange for emergency evacuation. These delays allegedly contributed to the rapid deterioration of Dulaney’s condition, culminating in her airlift to a shore-side hospital where she later died from complications.
Lawsuit Alleges Royal Caribbean Failed to Promptly Diagnose or Evacuate Stroke Patient in Violation of Maritime Medical Standards
The complaint contends that Royal Caribbean was negligent in its medical response and violated industry standards for cruise ship medical care, including those established by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Specifically, it alleges that the ship:
- Failed to recognize or act upon clear signs of stroke.
- Delayed treatment in favor of administrative payment procedures.
- Did not utilize onboard diagnostic tools like blood pressure monitoring or neuro-evaluations.
- Delayed contacting medical evacuation services, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Did not reroute the ship or request emergency deviation for evacuation.
Dulaney was ultimately airlifted hours later and underwent emergency surgery at Gulf Coast Medical Center. She died six days later.
Complaint Cites Prior Medical Negligence Cases Against Royal Caribbean Involving Delays in Stroke Diagnosis or Evacuation
The lawsuit highlights a pattern of prior medical negligence cases filed against Royal Caribbean. These include:
- Burgess v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Case No. 1:22-cv-23169), involving failure to recognize a passenger’s stroke symptoms and delay in evacuation.
- Disler v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Case No. 1:19-cv-21729), where a passenger died after the cruise line failed to evacuate him for 10 hours following a fall and head trauma.
- Masotti v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Case No. 1:22-cv-20707), alleging failure to treat a passenger’s emergency condition after payment issues.
These cases, the complaint argues, show Royal Caribbean’s repeated failure to implement adequate medical triage and evacuation procedures in life-threatening situations—particularly strokes.
Estate Alleges Royal Caribbean Engaged in Negligent Hiring and Maintained Inadequate Medical Staffing on Enchantment of the Seas
The lawsuit brings four counts against Royal Caribbean: vicarious liability for the ship’s medical personnel, vicarious liability for operational failures by the ship’s master and shoreside command, apparent agency, and direct negligence in hiring and training. Among the specific allegations:
- The ship had only one physician and one nurse on board to care for over 2,400 passengers and crew.
- The cruise line failed to train medical staff in stroke protocols and emergency response.
- Royal Caribbean prioritized financial transactions over immediate care.
- The cruise line created the appearance that shipboard medical staff were RCCL employees, inducing passengers to rely on their care.
The complaint argues that had medical care been rendered immediately—and not delayed pending credit card authorization—Dulaney would have received earlier intervention and possibly survived.
Estate Seeks Damages for Wrongful Death, Pain and Suffering, and Economic Losses Resulting from Cruise Line’s Negligence
Hoyt seeks damages on behalf of Dulaney’s estate for wrongful death, loss of financial support and services, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and funeral costs. The lawsuit also seeks survival damages for the conscious pain and mental anguish Dulaney allegedly experienced between her collapse and her eventual death in the hospital.
Cruise Ship Medical Negligence Leading to Death May Entitle Families to Maritime Wrongful Death Compensation
Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean have a legal duty to provide timely and appropriate medical care to passengers in emergencies. Under maritime law, delays in medical treatment, failure to diagnose strokes, or denial of care pending payment may constitute negligence. If your loved one died aboard a cruise ship due to delayed care or evacuation, your family may be entitled to compensation under the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) or general maritime law.
Contact us now to speak with a cruise ship wrongful death attorney.
Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
