Gabrielle Russon
Disney Cruise Line has settled a lawsuit filed by a family whose father died after he suffered a stroke at sea on the Disney Dream ship, according to new court records.
The two sides gave notice that a settlement had been reached in a court filing last week in federal court.
The filing did not disclose the settlement terms. Disney and the family’s attorney did not respond to questions or a request for comment from Florida Politics.
Nghi Nguyen, 76, who immigrated from Vietnam and lived in Pennsylvania working as a watchmaker, died June 8, 2023, according to his obituary. His death came about two months after his cruise on board the Disney Dream.
A lawsuit filed by his daughter last year blamed Nguyen’s death on the delay in the boat’s medical team getting him emergency care. The lawsuit was filed against Disney and Virginia-based Vanter Cruise Health Services in the U.S. District Court’s Orlando division. Vanter was contracted to provide medical services on board the Disney cruise.
Four days into his cruise, Nguyen struggled to speak and was partially paralyzed — signs of stroke, the lawsuit said.
“Despite Mr. Nguyen’s clear symptoms of a stroke of recent onset, the Dream’s physicians and medical staff did not speak with the ship’s captain about speeding up the ship toward land,” the lawsuit said.
“Mr. Nguyen’s condition continued to deteriorate while on the vessel and despite his continued deterioration and progressing stroke, he was kept on the vessel and not disembarked until approximately 7:00 a.m. on April 15, 2023, more than 8 hours after his symptoms began.”
The lawsuit accused the Dream’s physicians of failing to call a neurologist or specialist on land for help either.
Disney and Vanter denied the lawsuit’s allegations in a court response.
To defend itself, Disney Cruise Line “asserts that general maritime law governs Plaintiff’s claims, and that any recovery is limited thereby,” according to a court filing last year.
