Victims of the Ferry Crash
Leading New York City accident attorney John Carro discusses the Wednesday, January 9th 2013 Seastreak ferry crash. The ferry slammed into a pier while attempting to dock in Lower Manhattan. Carro cites the ferry’s accident-prone history as possible evidence of negligence and comments on the potential legal repercussions.
Ferry Crash Startles Morning Commuters
Wednesday morning at approximately 9 AM, seventy-four passengers were injured in the crash at Pier II at South Street and Gouverneur Lane. The crash prompted a massive response on the part of NYPD and FDNY fire, medical and rescue units. At the scene they treated multiple injuries from broken bones to spinal injuries and severe lacerations. Of the 74 injured, 2 victims were described as being in “critical condition” with serious head wounds, while 9 others were in “serious condition”. Police reported that there were 326 passengers and 5 crewmembers aboard when the crash occurred. The catamaran-style ferry makes daily trips from Manhattan to Central Jersey and has a capacity of 400 passengers.
New York City Accident Attorney Raises Questions
New York City accident attorney John Carro, a partner at the firm of Carro, Carro & Mitchell, citing the ferry’s history of accidents, and descriptions of the crash, blamed negligence as the probable cause: “Weather conditions were calm. Either there was human error in the operation of the ferry, or there was a mechanical failure. Mechanical failure is almost always the result of not properly maintaining or inspecting critical components, whether we are talking about a ferry, a plane, a bus, or a crane. If you are responsible for transporting hundreds of people across the water, the law requires a very high standard of care.”
Carro, an experienced New York City accident attorney who has frequently appeared on television as an expert legal commentator, said that the ferry’s recent operating record was troubling. According to Coast Guard records the Seastreak Wall Street has been involved in at least three other collisions while docking, in 2006, 2009 and 2010. News accounts of the crash on Wednesday referred to complaints by the crew of difficulty operating the ferry since a new propeller system was installed last summer. Carro stated “taken together, this history raises serious questions about responsibility for the crash. The exact cause or causes must be determined so that steps can be taken to prevent future similar accidents. And those injured people have the right to know how and why they started off for work and instead ended up in an ambulance.”
Working to Protect the Public
For many New Yorkers, the ferry accident on Wednesday stirred disturbing memories of the tragic 2003 Staten Island ferry crash, which killed 11 passengers and injured 70 others. When someone is injured because of the negligence of another, they often require expensive hospital, medical and rehabilitation treatment. The law provides that the guilty party must be held responsible for their negligent acts. Injured New Yorkers can get the legal help they need from the expert New York accident attorneys at Carro, Carro & Mitchell. We will fight hard to win the compensation accident victims deserve for their pain and suffering, lost earnings and medical expenses.
If you or someone you know has been hurt in an accident caused by negligence, call us today at (212) 213-5005 for a free consultation. You deserve a fighting chance, and we can help.
Other recent news stories include the Jenni Rivera plane crash accident, and the Queens crane collapse.
