Passengers from the February 2013 Carnival Triumph cruise ship that drifted at sea for days are suing Carnival Corporation, seeking $5,000 a month for the rest of their lives.

Many of the 33 passengers who are part of the lawsuit claim that they have ongoing medical and mental problems as a result of the incident that occurred when a fire broke out in the ship's engine room, leaving the ship without power and most of its electricity and forcing the passengers to endure human waste running down hallways, limited water supplies, noxious odors and extreme heat.

"It was chaotic. People were in dire need of help," passenger Debra Oubre said. "We were standing in line for food for five hours."

After about five days in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship was finally towed to Mobile, Alabama, and Carnival sought to make amends by offering each passenger a $500 check, a voucher for a future cruise, refunds of most on-board expenses and reimbursement for transportation, parking and other expenses.

Oubre told news sources that she has experienced panic and anxiety attacks since the cruise, and she blames the disaster for a urinary tract infection. Other passengers complain of lingering physical ailments, including leg pain, diarrhea, upper respiratory problems and aggravated hemorrhoids. The plaintiffs want a lump sum damages payment based on government tables estimating their life expectancies.

"This is an opportunistic lawsuit brought by plaintiff's counsel and plaintiffs who seek to make a money grab," a company spokeswoman said.

Carnival attorney Curtis Mase has asked Senior U.S. District Judge Donald Graham to reject all of the damage claims. In court papers, Mase said the passengers either haven't proved their health issues are linked to the Triumph cruise or haven't shown they suffer from any lingering problems at all.

Judge Graham, who is hearing the case without a jury, has ruled that passengers cannot collect punitive damages and may only get damages for past and future medical costs that are conclusively linked to what happened on the Triumph.

—Source: Reuters.com