Mass transit accidents are complicated from a legal perspective because numerous individuals and companies could be at fault. If someone’s negligence caused, or contributed, to a crash, then they can be held accountable for ensuing injuries.

As many as 70 people were injured when a high-speed ferry crashed into a dock in lower Manhattan early this month. According to an Associated Press report, the Seastreak Wall Street was making a routine trip across New York Bay when it suddenly slowed and crashed, throwing passengers to the floor and walls. At least 11 people were seriously injured.

The ferry had reportedly been through a major overhaul recently, which included a new engine and new propulsion system. Touted as “the greenest ferry in America”, the system was intended to save fuel and cut carbon dioxide pollution in half. A witness reported that moments before the crash a ferry employee told her that the boat’s captains were complaining about the boat’s maneuverability after the overhaul. “He was telling me that none of these guys like this boat,” she said. “It was coming in a little wobbly. It hit the right side of the boat on the dock hard, like a bomb.”

Only a thorough investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board will be able to determine the cause of the ferry crash. The NTSB will publish its findings and conclusions. If a malfunction in the ferry’s systems, or an error by the crew, contributed to the crash, then the city, the crew, and the manufacturer of the ferry are among the parties who could be held accountable for any injuries caused in the crash.