Alabama Graduate Loses Both Legs After Carnival Shore Excursion Accident in Bahamas

Recent College Graduate Pursues Legal Action After Life-Altering Injury

A 22-year-old Alabama college graduate who lost both legs following a catastrophic accident during a Carnival Cruise Line shore excursion in the Bahamas now pursues legal action against the cruise line and excursion operators. Hannah Smith, a summa cum laude graduate of Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, suffered the devastating injuries on May 12, 2025, while participating in the “Pearl Island Beach Escape with Lunch” excursion during a voyage aboard the Carnival Celebration. Brais Law Firm represents Smith in the lawsuit, with court documents detailing the sequence of events that led to her injuries.

Smith had been celebrating her graduation with her friend Brooklyn Pitre when the accident occurred. The excursion, advertised and sold by Carnival Cruise Line through its onboard platform and website, processed payment directly through the cruise operator. This direct involvement forms a central element of the legal claims, as attorneys argue the cruise line bears responsibility for the safety and oversight of excursions it markets to passengers.

Accident Occurs During Passenger Disembarkation

Preliminary findings cited by the law firm reveal the incident took place as passengers disembarked from a catamaran-style vessel following the excursion. The vessel had returned to Nassau and pulled alongside a pier when passengers began exiting. According to the lawsuit, excursion employees overserved Smith alcohol and marijuana before she boarded the return catamaran to Nassau, a claim that raises serious questions about duty of care and passenger safety protocols.

The legal complaint alleges that a crew member told Smith she could use the water near the vessel’s dive platform as a restroom. Smith entered the water during disembarkation, and a spinning propeller pulled her in, causing catastrophic injuries that ultimately necessitated the amputation of both legs. The circumstances surrounding this directive and the vessel’s safety measures at the time of the accident represent key elements of the pending litigation.

Emergency Medical Response and Extensive Surgeries

Emergency responders transported Smith to a hospital in Nassau immediately following the accident, where she underwent multiple emergency surgeries. The severity of her injuries necessitated a medical airlift. HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in Miami provided specialized treatment for her complex wounds and trauma. The initial medical interventions marked only the beginning of a prolonged and painful recovery process that continues to unfold.

Despite extensive medical intervention, including numerous surgical procedures, Smith’s condition deteriorated over time. According to the law firm representing her, she ultimately underwent successive amputations of her right leg, culminating in a hip disarticulation-a complex procedure involving removal of the entire leg and hip joint. This extensive surgical intervention represents one of the most radical amputation procedures performed in traumatic injury cases, underscoring the severity of the initial injuries sustained in the propeller accident.

Legal Claims Target Multiple Parties

The lawsuit filed by Smith’s attorneys targets both Carnival Cruise Line and the operators of the shore excursion. Potential claims against Carnival include allegations of direct negligence related to the vetting and monitoring of third-party excursion providers. The cruise line’s direct involvement in marketing, selling, and processing payment for the excursion strengthens arguments that it maintained a duty to ensure passenger safety throughout the activity.

The legal team argues that Carnival failed to properly oversee the excursion operators, creating conditions that allowed the tragic accident to occur. Alcohol and marijuana overservice allegations, combined with claims that crew members provided unsafe instructions regarding water use near active propellers, form the foundation of negligence arguments. These elements suggest systemic failures in safety protocols rather than an isolated incident beyond reasonable prevention.

Shore Excursion Safety Under Scrutiny

This case highlights ongoing concerns about shore excursion safety and the responsibilities cruise lines bear when marketing third-party activities to passengers. When cruise lines advertise and sell excursions through their own platforms and process payments directly, legal experts note they may assume greater liability than when passengers independently book activities at port destinations. The distinction between cruise line-managed excursions and independently arranged activities carries significant legal implications in maritime personal injury cases.

Maritime law governs cruise ship accidents and injuries, creating a complex legal framework that differs substantially from traditional personal injury claims. Passengers injured during shore excursions face unique challenges in establishing liability, particularly when multiple parties-including the cruise line, excursion operators, and vessel crews-share potential responsibility. Smith’s case presents questions about where ultimate responsibility lies when cruise lines actively promote and profit from third-party excursions.

Life-Altering Consequences for Young Graduate

The accident transformed Smith’s life trajectory in an instant. A summa cum laude graduate embarking on adult life with academic accomplishments and presumed bright prospects, she now faces a future defined by extensive rehabilitation, prosthetic adaptation, and permanent disability. The physical injuries represent only one dimension of the harm; psychological trauma, lost opportunities, and diminished quality of life factor into the comprehensive damages claimed in the lawsuit.

What began as a celebratory graduation cruise with a friend ended in a medical nightmare spanning multiple surgeries, hospital transfers, and ultimately the loss of both legs. The progression from initial injury through successive amputations illustrates the cascading consequences of the propeller accident and the inadequacy of even aggressive medical intervention to reverse the catastrophic damage sustained.

“Hannah Smith, a summa cum laude graduate of Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, was injured on May 12, 2025, while participating in the ‘Pearl Island Beach Escape with Lunch’ excursion during a voyage aboard the Carnival Celebration,” according to court documents obtained by FOX Television Stations.

The case proceeds through the legal system as Smith’s attorneys build their arguments for substantial damages to address medical expenses, future care needs, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. The outcome may influence how cruise lines approach shore excursion partnerships and safety oversight, potentially affecting industry-wide practices regarding third-party activity vetting and passenger protection standards.