Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers Discuss Punitive Damages

The decision of a federal jury in Seattle to award $21.5 million in damages to a man injured by an automatic sliding-glass door on a cruise ship is making headlines this week. The verdict was one of the largest in recent times out of Seattle federal court and included $16.5 million in punitive damages against the cruise line owner, Holland America. The company claims the award is excessive and has filed documents asking the court to reduce the judgment. An appeal is expected. Punitive damages are awarded by a court as a form of punishment to the wrongdoer. They also serve to deter others from engaging in similar conduct. The laws regarding when and how much a jury can impose punitive damages on a defendant vary widely by state. While most states allow punitive damages in civil cases, many have set limits on the amount a jury can award a plaintiff. In Maryland, there is no statutory cap on an award of punitive damages, except in cases of medical malpractice. However, Maryland has very
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