SEATTLE (MyFoxBoston.com) -- An Illinois man was awarded over $21 million dollars after being hit by a sliding-glass door on a cruise ship and suffering several injuries.
A jury awarded James R. Hausman $21.5 million in Seattle after the incident on the Holland American cruise line's Pacific fleet flagship, the M/S Amsterdam. According to the Seattle Times, the verdict is one of the largest there and included $16.5 million in punitive damages against Holland America.
Lawyers for Hausman had evidence at the trial proving that dozens of other passengers were injured in similar incidents with a sliding-door while on a Holland America ship and faulty sensor settings are to blame, according to court documents.
Hausman says he now suffers from memory loss, vertigo and seizures due to the incident.
The Holland American line asked the court to reduce the judgment and said they will appeal the verdict.
“Holland America Line is committed to the safety and security of our guests and take all incidents very seriously. We have no comment regarding the specifics of this lawsuit," the cruise line said in a statement, the Seattle Times reported.
The eight-person jury took nine days to come to a unanimous verdict, the court docket said.
Hausman was on the 280 day world cruise with his wife, daughter and a tutor. They departed from Seattle in September of 2011. It wasn’t until late November when surveillance shows Hausman following crew members through the sliding-glass doors, but the doors shut, hitting him in the face and the side of his head.
In court briefings, Holland American says Hausman walked into the doors.
Cox Media Group
