$275,000 verdict – Cruise Ship – passenger struck by mooring line

Cruise ships hold themselves out as a place to relax and let the worries of the world stay on shore.  But for some passengers the act of enjoying a cruise ends up costing them their health. Properly docking and launching a gigantic cruise ship requires skill and attention to safety.  When cruise ship crews make a mistake, it can cost someone their life or cause serious injury.

In one case, Norwegian Cruise Lines acted negligently and caused our client to suffer a life-long neck injury.

John Elliott Leighton went to trial against Norwegian Cruise Lines and won a $275,000 verdict on behalf of a cruise ship passenger who was struck when a mishandled mooring line snapped and crashed through a window while he was eating in the ship’s dining room.  The passenger sustained neck and back injuries.  Although they could not deny that the huge line smashed through the double-pane glass window of the ship, the cruise line denied that the passenger was injured. His medical condition demonstrated otherwise.  Through the one week trial, Leighton demonstrated that the mishandled line caused the passenger to be thrown from his seat and tossed against a wall.  Medical testimony supported the claim that he had suffered an injury.  The jury awarded $275,000 in damages. Johns v. Norwegian Cruise Line, Miami-Dade Circuit Court.

 

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