Personal Injury Victim Aboard New York Ferry Files Suit against the City

Forty-year-old construction worker Flabio Silva was on the Staten Island Ferry that smashed into a dock on May 8, sending a shudder through the entire ship and injuring more than 30 passengers. Silva was one of those rushed to the hospital following the accident, and he continues to suffer from the back injuries he sustained.

He was also the first passenger involved in the Staten Island Ferry crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against the city, and it is unlikely that he will be the last. Unable to sit down without pain and currently unable to complete some motions, Silva is concerned that his back injuries will hamper his ability to continue working in construction.

He is suing the city for $5 million.

This is the second time the ferry boat, “Andrew J. Barberi,” has been involved in a serious boat accident. In 2003, the same boat went full speed into the same docking station, killing 11 passengers and injuring a dozen more. The vessel returned to service in 2004 after serious renovation and close inspection.

New York authorities have claimed that the fact the accident involved exactly the same ferry and docking station is a complete coincidence, and they are still looking for answers as to what may have caused the boat accident. Interviews with the captain and crew have, thus far, returned no mention of engine or mechanical malfunction.

In 2003, the fatal ferry crash was caused by the boat’s pilot, who passed out due to a combination of intense exhaustion and painkillers.

Related Resource

• S.I. Ferry Rider to Sue City for $5M After Crash  (New York Daily News)