ORLANDO – A yacht owner alleges the vessel sustained damage after a fire caused by a stern thruster.
Thomas Marroccoli filed a complaint on May 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division against Florida Bow Thrusters Inc. and Vertus Maxwell Inc. alleging breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in June 14, 2013, he while he was aboard his vessel My Angel and in the process of docking at Valentines Marina in the Bahamas, a fire occurred on the boat, causing him to suffer an uninsured loss of $21,000 for the property damage of the vessel. The plaintiff holds Florida Bow Thrusters Inc. and Vertus Maxwell Inc. responsible because the defendants allegedly manufactured and sold a defective stern thruster, failed to inspect, test and properly install the stern thruster and failed to warn the risk of fire created by the stern thruster's electrical system.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendants in an amount of more than $21,000, prejudgment interest and such other relief as the court deems just and proper. He is represented by Joseph F. Rich of Cozen O'Connor in Miami and William N. Clark Jr. of Cozen O'Connor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division Case number 6:16-cv-00820