A maritime accident has led to a lawsuit involving serious allegations of negligence and gross negligence against a well-known cremation service provider. On November 12, 2024, Don Vonk filed a complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, against S.E. Combined Services of California Inc., doing business as Neptune Society of Northern California, and Neptune Management Corp., following an incident that occurred on November 25, 2023.
According to the complaint filed by Don Vonk, the tragic events unfolded during a voyage aboard the M/V NAIAD, operated by the defendants. The purpose of this journey was to scatter the ashes of Vonk's father in the waters off San Francisco Bay. However, what was meant to be a solemn occasion turned into a nightmare when the vessel collided with Pier 39's breakwater. This collision resulted in severe injuries for Vonk, including a laceration on his right thigh that left him stranded in the bay until he was rescued by family members.
Vonk accuses S.E. Combined Services and Neptune Management Corp. of multiple counts of negligence under maritime law. He alleges that they failed to maintain safe navigation practices and violated several safety regulations designed to protect passengers at sea. "Defendants negligently and carelessly maintained, manned, managed, operated, and controlled M/V NAIAD," reads one part of the complaint. The plaintiff also claims that these actions were not just negligent but amounted to gross negligence due to their reckless disregard for passenger safety.
The legal action seeks compensatory damages for physical injuries and emotional distress caused by the incident. Additionally, Vonk is pursuing punitive damages against the defendants for their alleged gross negligence during the operation of M/V NAIAD. The plaintiff's attorneys argue that such conduct merits exemplary damages as it demonstrates an extreme departure from reasonable care standards expected in maritime operations.
Representing Don Vonk are attorneys John R. Hillsman and Abraham Feinstein Hillsman from McGuinn, Hillsman & Palefsky based in San Francisco. The case has been assigned Case No. CGC-24-616048 under Judge Sahar Enayati’s jurisdiction.