$25 Million Jury Verdict Reduced to $2 million

Most people believe the trial by jury is a fundamental right to all Americans and is one of the bedrocks of our Constitution. So you'd probably think when a jury submits their verdict in a case, the other side will respect the outcome. Unfortunately, this does not always occur.

A jury in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA), awarded an injured seaman $25 million because he had been raped by South Korean police while on shore leave in 2008, according to the Virginian-Pilot. His employer at the time, the Norfolk, VA-based Maersk Line, failed to provide medical care.

Maersk's defense lawyers did not respect the jury decision and instead file a motion asking the judge to set the verdict and grant a new trial. Setting aside basically means the defense lawyers want the jury verdict to be ignored so they can get a second chance to deny this victim compensation.

The judge arrived at a compromise. He gave the victim the option of either go through another trial or take a reduced award of $2 million.

The injured victim has not officially determined what decision he will make.

This case illustrates just how dogged some defense lawyers are at denying the victim compensation. The victim in this case originally asked for $50 million and the jury arrived at half that number. Even then, the defense was not satisfied. This is why it is so important for victims to have quality representation on their side. Obtaining experienced plaintiff's counsel that is prepared to combat these types of maneuvers is extremely important if you or a loved one decide to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim. 


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