A Former Royal Caribbean Employee Keeps Major Trial Victory Over Crushed Hand Case

May 5, 2021 / 5:33 am

In 2008, Lisa Spearman was working as a marketing and revenue manager onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Voyager of the Seas, when she suffered a horrendous accident during a safety drill. Spearman saw a nurse who had just returned from shore during the safety drill manually override Bridge Control to open one of the ship’s doors, which was a violation of company safety policies. The nurse, who was carrying several boxes, tripped, and the door began to close toward her.

Spearman attempted to hold the door open to override the bridge control by pressing down on the handle so the nurse would not be crushed by the closing door. When the sliding door opened, with Spearman’s hand still holding down the handle as she had been trained to do, it pulled Spearman’s hand into the recess in the wall.  Because of miscommunications between on-site security and the Bridge, Spearman’s hand was repeatedly pulled back and forth inside the recessed area, all the while still being crushed. Two of Spearman’s finders were broken, her fingernails were pulled out at the roots, and she developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of her hand being trapped while being crushed inside the recess.

In 2018, a jury returned a verdict for Spearman of $6 million for past pain and suffering, another $6 million for future pain and suffering, $7 million for future medical expenses, and $1.3 million for past and future lost earnings. Spearman, through her own testimony and experts, proved at trial that she suffered from CRPS and PTSD and would require assistance for the rest of her life.

Why did Royal Caribbean Appeal the Case?

Royal Caribbean appealed the jury’s decision. The company argued during its appeal that the only comparable damage awards have gone to plaintiffs who have suffered catastrophic injuries such as quadriplegia, amputations, severe burns, or catastrophic brain damage. They argued that Spearman’s injuries did not rise to those levels.

According to an article from Law360, the heart of Royal Caribbean’s appeal was their argument the lower court should not have allowed testimony from Spearman’s experts “about an untested prototype door design that was presented to the jury as an alternative to the sliding door that crushed her hand.”

The two experts called on behalf of Spearman were mechanical engineer Eric Van Iderstine and marine engineer John W. Sullivan. They presented an alternative design for the door involved in the case.  The door was designed using computer-aided design (CAD) solely for the purpose of the trial.

What did the Appeals Court Say?

The Florida Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the verdict on liability, noting Spearman’s attorneys argued four theories of liability and had presented sufficient evidence to prevail on the other three theories even though the alternative design theory should not have been included.

Under Florida’s “two-issue rule,” a reversal is improper if there is no error in regard to one of two or more issues submitted to the jury. In this case, the other theories presented were negligent training, failure to warn, and negligence on the part of a nurse on the ship.  The Third DCA also remanded the case to the trial court to articulate the statutory criteria he relied upon in denying Royal Caribbean’s motion to remit the verdict.

Deborah Gander of Colson Hicks Eidson is one of the cruise ship accident attorney, representing Spearman. Gander said that her client is “very pleased” with the decision by the appeals court.

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The lawyers at Colson Hicks Eidson are dedicated to delivering outstanding results for our clients. We are honored that Lawdragon recognizes this commitment and are pleased to announce that seven of our partners have been named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide. Congratulations to Stephanie A. Casey, Dean C. Colson, Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr., Julie Braman Kane, Roberto Martinez, and Curtis Miner.

This guide is based on a record number of submissions, combined with journalistic research and vetting with the nation’s leading trial lawyers.

Click here to read the full guide.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson is proud to share that ten of its attorneys—more than half of the firm—have been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. 

Stephanie A. Casey, Dean C. Colson, Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr., Julie Braman Kane, Roberto Martinez, and Curtis Miner are listed in The Best Lawyers in America®. Eleni I. Constant, Zachary A. Lipshultz, and Sabrina S. Saieh are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Best Lawyers’ lists of outstanding lawyers are developed through peer review surveys where tens of thousands of lawyers evaluate their professional peers. Best Lawyers recognized attorneys in all of the firm’s core practice areas. 

Stephanie A. Casey

Commercial Litigation

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Dean C. Colson

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants

Professional Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs

Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr. 

Commercial Litigation

Insurance Law

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Julie Braman Kane – “Lawyer of the Year”

Commercial Litigation

Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Roberto Martinez

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Curtis Miner

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Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation –  Plaintiffs

Eleni I. Constant

Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Zachary A. Lipshultz

Commercial Litigation

Mass Tort Litigation/ Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Sabrina S. Saieh

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Personal Injury – Plaintiffs

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About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson is proud to celebrate two of our attorneys for receiving prestigious awards at the 2025 American Association for Justice Annual Convention in San Francisco.

President and Senior Partner Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson was awarded the Leonard M. Ring Champion of Justice Award, which recognizes outstanding integrity and overall character demonstrating Leonard M. Ring’s devotion to human and civil rights. Mike is a past AAJ president and long-respected national trial lawyer. He has spent his career advancing justice, defending the right to trial by jury, and shaping the future of the profession through his leadership and unwavering commitment to mentorship.

Partner Julie Braman Kane, also a past AAJ President, delivered powerful remarks on Mike’s behalf, celebrating his legacy and the profound impact he’s made on the legal community and beyond. Julie has spent her entire career at Colson Hicks Eidson, a testament to the inspiration Mike has provided to generations of trial lawyers. 

Partner Curtis Miner was also awarded with the Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award, which recognizes plaintiffs and the attorneys of plaintiffs whose cases help tell the story of the American civil justice system. Curt was recognized for his role as one of the court-appointed leaders in the Champlain Towers Condominium Collapse litigation, where he worked alongside a dedicated team of lawyers to change laws to make condominiums safer and helped secure $1.2 billion in settlements for the families and victims.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

The lawyers at Colson Hicks Eidson are committed to teamwork, professional development, and mentoring our younger lawyers. We are proud to announce that four of our attorneys have been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Congratulations to Eleni I. Constant, Aziza F. Elayan, Zachary A. Lipshultz, and Sabrina S. Saieh.

Lawdragon selects lawyers for this guide through independent research, submissions, and peer review, recognizing those who have demonstrated consistent excellence and significant impact, typically within 15 years of graduating law school.

Click here to read the full guide.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson is proud to share that attorneys Zachary A. Lipshultz and Sabrina S. Saieh have been named to the 2025 Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars list.

Zach’s practice spans all aspects of civil litigation in state, federal, and arbitral forums, at both the trial and appellate levels. He played a key role on the team that recently secured a $3 million damages award for a family of four who suffered significant trauma when a defective lithium-ion battery-powered scooter caused a catastrophic fire that destroyed their home.

Sabrina focuses on product liability, commercial litigation, personal injury, class actions, and multidistrict litigation. She has represented clients in complex matters in federal and state courts, including cases involving defective products, dangerous drugs, catastrophic injuries, and mass torts. She was integral to the Takata Airbag Products Liability MDL—a high-profile class action tied to the largest automotive recall in U.S. history, resulting in settlements exceeding $1 billion.

Rising Stars recognizes top young attorneys who are 40 or under or have been in practice for 10 years or less. Only 2.5% of Florida lawyers earn this honor each year, following the same rigorous selection process used for Super Lawyers.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson is thrilled to announce that seven of its attorneys have been named in the 2025 edition of Florida Super Lawyers. Stephanie Casey, Dean Colson, Joseph J. Kalbac Jr., Julie Braman Kane, and Curtis Miner have been named Super Lawyers. Zachary A. Lipshultz and Sabrina S. Saieh have been recognized as Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers uses a rigorous screening process including independent research, peer nominations, and evaluations to rate lawyers. Only 5 percent of lawyers in Florida are rated by Super Lawyers, and no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers under 40 or with fewer than 10 years of practice are selected as Rising Stars.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.