Carnival Triumph passengers Brooke Carico, left, and her daughter, Ravyn, head to their car after arriving by bus at the Port of Galveston, Texas parking lot Friday Feb. 15, 2013. They were among the first passengers to arrive after an overnight trip from Mobile, Ala., where the disabled Carnival ship Triumph docked. Hundreds of passengers opted to take an eight-hour bus ride to Galveston from Mobile. Galveston is the home port of the ill-fated ship, which lost power in an engine-room fire Sunday some 150 miles off Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. (AP Photo/The Galveston County Daily News, Jennifer Reynolds) MANDATORY CREDIT

1st lawsuit already filed in Gulf cruise ship mishap

ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

MIAMI — The first lawsuit has been filed in the wake of the crippled Carnival Triumph cruise ship that left thousands of passengers in miserable conditions for days.

Texas resident Cassie Terry sued Carnival Corp. on Friday in Miami federal court. The suit seeks unspecified damages, saying Terry feared for her life or that she might suffer serious injury or illness because of the presence of raw sewage and spoiled food.

Carnival cruise ship tickets require that all lawsuits be filed in Miami. Maritime attorneys say it's difficult but not impossible to win a case unless the plaintiff can show actual injury or illness.

More lawsuits are expected from some of the 4,200 people aboard the Triumph. It was disabled Sunday by an engine fire and finally towed to shore Thursday.

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