MIAMI – A New York man filed a claim against Costa Crociere and its cruise ship, the Costa Mediterranea, for neglecting to provide a safe environment, which led to an alleged knee injury.
John Distefano filed a federal suit Jan. 15 in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida against Costa Crociere S.p.A. Co., an Italian cruise ship company, citing negligence and failure to provide a safe tender at a port of call.
According to the complaint, Distefano was trying to board the defendant’s vessel, the Costa Mediterranea, on Jan 16, 2015, while returning from a scheduled port of call, when he suffered a fall. He claims to have sustained serious and permanent injuries, ultimately requiring knee surgery as a result of the incident, as well as lost wages and physical therapy.
The plaintiff alleges that as a paying passenger, he had the right to safety while boarding the cruise ship and that it was the defendant’s responsibility to ensure that safety. He avers that the staff was improperly trained and the vessel lacked adequate safety measures laid out by the defendant’s own internal policies.
Distefano seeks damages of more than $75,000, judgment, interests and costs against the defendant. He is represented by Glenn J. Holzberg of Holzberg Legal in Miami.
US District Court in the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:16-CV-20190-UU