A woman who claims she was raped by a Carnival crew member during a 2018 cruise will receive more than $12 million in damages from the major cruise line after a lengthy legal battle, a judge ruled last week.
According to a complaint filed in 2019, the alleged victim alleges that Carnival employee Freddy Angara lured the then-21-year-old into a closet on the Carnival Miracle on Dec. 1, 2018, locked the door and sexually assaulted her. Judge Kathleen Williams awarded the incredible amount on Friday.
After the door was unlocked, the woman “immediately ran away, racing towards her own room,” according to court documents.
“The assailant caught up with her and demanded to be allowed back into the room,” the complaint states.[The woman] His request was rejected. [the woman] When she got to her room, she began crying and told her friends what had happened.”
According to court documents, jurors awarded her $10 million in damages in 2022, but Williams sought an additional $2 million after Carnival challenged the award.
According to Friday's ruling, Carnival owes a total of $12,367,229 to the plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe.
The woman is happy with the outcome and her lawyer, Daniel Courtney, said: He told the Daily Mailwhich first reported on the payment.
“This is an important day for my client, and hopefully for all victims of sexual assault, to understand that while justice can sometimes be difficult in this country, it is certainly possible,” he said.
The passenger was carrying an eight-figure sum in cash, but Angara has never been arrested in connection with the incident and is not a defendant in any lawsuit.
In 2022, a jury found Carnival liable for false imprisonment and sexual assault by a crew member. CNN reported at the time.
However, the jury found Carnival not negligent in the assault and said its crew did not intentionally inflict emotional distress on the alleged victim.
Carnival acknowledged in 2022 that a flight attendant had sex with a passenger but said it was consensual and “consistent with the FBI investigation.” According to the Washington Post.
Unger was fired because cruise ship crew are not supposed to be friendly with guests.
Courtney told The Washington Post that her client was “highly intoxicated” and had a “concussion” after falling and hitting his head during the alleged rape.
“To say it was consensual is really hurtful to her,” Courtney argued.
The Post has reached out to Carnival and Courtney for comment.
