A door on a Royal Caribbean ship crushed her hand. She sued for $20.3 million -- and won

[TexasTowelie]

Royal Caribbean International may be on the hook for $20.3 million after losing a case against a former employee who suffered a catastrophic injury in 2008 while she was working on board.

In August 2008, New Zealander Lisa Spearman was a marketing and revenue manager on the Miami-based cruise line's Voyager of the Seas, which was sailing from Barcelona, Spain.

While in port, the ship was conducting a routine fire safety drill in which some of the vessel's semi-water tight doors — powerful doors that prevent water from flooding the ship — are closed, according to Deborah Gander, Spearman's attorney. A nurse from the port who was unaware of the drill tried to open one of the doors with a handle. Spearman was on the other side.

As the nurse tried to pass through the door, she fell, according to the suit, and Spearman lunged forward to help her. When Spearman put her hand on the handle to keep the door open, the sliding door lurched back into its recess pocket in the wall, mashing Spearman's hand into a space only big enough to fit a pencil.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article212495699.html

[dhol82]

1. 20.3 million seems a bit high for that injury

Not belittling the event. Just don’t see where it’s worth that much.
She still has her hand.

[Laffy Kat]

4. It seems high to me, too.

There are standardized impairment ratings for these things so that makes me wonder if some of the award was punitive, although I know NOTHING about this case. Something else I wonder about when people sue their employer. Since I personally love my job, my co-workers, and the place I work, I don't think I'd ever look to sue them for loads of cash if something like that happened to me. I'd just want what I have coming, ya know? What I'm getting at is it pays to maintain a happy workforce. If employees feel empowered (my job is union) and feel like they have management's ear, I suspect the outcome would be different. Just saying..

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. Royal Caribbean were damn fools for not settling out if court n/t

[onecaliberal]

3. A hospital in our hometown sent my husband home while having a massive stroke

No lawyer will file suit against them because the most you can recover is 250,000 even though they all say it was malpractice. It’s not worth it. He is permanently disabled and lucky to be alive. Screwed him out of a great job and salary and retirement as well as myself. I will get to work until lunch on the day I die.