Holland America Line has been ordered to pay a staggering $21.5 million in damages to a cruise ship passenger who apparently suffered a minor brain injury after being hit by a sliding glass door during a cruise in 2011.
Jurors returned the verdict against Seattle-based Holland America Line in US District Court finding that the cruise line acted with reckless disregard for the safety of its passengers, according to the passenger’s attorney.
The passenger, Jim Hausan, was on a round the world cruise in 2011 aboard Holland America’s MS Amsterdam when a moving glass door closed on him, hitting him on the side of the head. Hausman brushed it off initially, but his attorney says that he then “developed severe headaches and neurological issues including loss of balance and fatigue”, which led him to sell his successful business.
The entire incident was actually caught on video, shown above.
Hausman’s attorney, Rick Friedman of the Friedman Rubin Law Firm, argued that an investigation uncovered numerous similar incidents with “at least 16 prior injuries and corporate indifference to the danger posed to passengers.”
“Even though the doors could be easily adjusted to avoid such incidents, the cruise line failed to take any action until Jim’s lawsuit,” read a statement posted by Friedman’s law firm. “There was evidence that Holland America may have been motivated financially as adjusting the doors would increase fuel use due to increased air conditioning.”
The jury’s award included $5 million in compensatory damages and $16.5 million in punitive damages.
“The large punitive award sends a message to Holland America that passenger safety should be its primary consideration, rather than corporate profit,” the statement said.
Ukraine's SBU security service said on Tuesday that it had hit the road and rail bridge linking Russia and the Crimean peninsula below the water level with explosives. In a statement, the SBU said it had used 1,100 kilograms (2,420 pounds) of explosives that were detonated early in the morning and damaged underwater pillars of the bridge, a key supply route for Russian forces in Ukraine in the past.
Jim Lawrence, a towering figure in U.S. maritime industry and founder of the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) conference, passed away on Sunday after a short illness. Lawrence, who established and...
Ocean Network Express (ONE) has announced the implementation of a comprehensive Ship Recycling Policy and membership in the Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI). Announced last week in Singapore, the initiatives...
June 2, 2025
Total Views: 605
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 108,955 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 108,955 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.