A yacht trip turned into a nightmare for a respiratory therapist when she suffered severe injuries due to alleged negligence on the part of her employer. On April 1, 2025, Cindy Gordon-Best and her husband Steven Best filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida, against Franklin L. Haney. The couple is seeking damages following an incident that occurred aboard Haney's yacht, Emelina.
According to the complaint, Cindy Gordon-Best was employed as a personal respiratory therapist by Franklin L. Haney through South Florida Medical Corporation. On May 16, 2024, she was aboard Haney's 178-foot yacht named Emelina as it traveled from Miami to Rybovich Marina in Palm Beach County. During this voyage, passengers were instructed not to wear traditional footwear to avoid damaging the yacht's decking. Instead, non-slip socks or booties were provided; however, there were not enough for everyone onboard. Consequently, Gordon-Best had to wear her own socks that lacked anti-skid properties.
The situation took a turn for the worse when the yacht was maneuvering into a docking slip and shifted unexpectedly. At that moment, Gordon-Best slipped and fell hard on her left hip while attempting to relieve herself and grab water on the main deck. The fall resulted in severe pain and injuries including bodily harm, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, and loss of earning capacity.
The plaintiffs allege that Franklin L. Haney and his crew failed in their duty of care by not providing adequate safety equipment or instructions to ensure passenger safety during docking maneuvers. They claim that Haney should have known about the insufficient supply of non-slip socks and failed to warn passengers about potential sudden movements of the vessel.
Cindy Gordon-Best seeks judgment for damages covering medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost earnings, and other related costs due to what they describe as negligence leading to unseaworthiness of the vessel. Her husband Steven Best also claims damages for loss of consortium due to his wife's injuries impacting their marital relationship.
Represented by attorney F. Gregory Barnhart from Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley P.A., the plaintiffs demand a jury trial for their case identified under Case Number: 502025CA003077XXXAMB.