A New Jersey man has filed a lawsuit against United Airlines alleging a heavily intoxicated passenger urinated on him as their cross-country flight prepared for takeoff.

Daniel Card, of Pequannock, says the airline shouldn't have allowed the visibly drunk man to board the flight from Los Angeles to Newark on June 12 and then did nothing to help after the passenger relieved himself.

The federal lawsuit, filed in superior court in Morris County on Wednesday, was first reported by CourthouseNews.com.

Card said when he boarded flight 1871, he noticed a powerful odor of alcohol coming from the breath and body of a man seated beside him in row 24.

Moments before the plane started to pull away from the gate the man exposed himself and urinated all over Card's leg, court papers say.

Card said the man was so drunk that he was unable to awaken him. The Morris County resident alleges flight attendants initially refused his request to move from the urine-soaked seat before finally finding somewhere else for him to sit.

His clothes were still covered in urine, though.

The drunken passenger later told authorities he downed at least four rum and cokes at a bar in Los Angeles International Airport and that he had no memory of boarding the plane or of the flight.

Card is suing for assault, negligence, breach of contract and emotional distress.

United Airlines didn't immediately respond to request for comment from NJ Advance Media.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.