NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – A man from New York is suing the Spirit of Norfolk after he claims he slipped on the cruise ship’s anti-skid flooring.

The plaintiff, 66-year-old Jeffrey Makuch, says he was injured on the top deck of the vessel on June 26, 2016. The ship was docked at the time.

In the civil lawsuit, filed in Norfolk federal court in May 2018, Makuch says he was playing corn hole when his feet got caught on the anti-skid decking, causing him to fall. It also claims the deck was crowded with furniture, making it difficult for passengers to safely walk. 

“The defendants breached the duty of care, in that the deck – while perhaps safe for walking, and beneficial to a rolling or pitching vessel under way — was totally inappropriate for crowding with furniture and chairs, while simultaneously encouraging guests, many of whom are older, to play a game in which they must shift their balance,” the lawsuit states.

He is seeking nearly $375,000 in damages for unspecified “severe and permanent injuries.”

Defendant Spirit Cruises, LLC denies that the flooring presents a risk to passengers and has requested that Makuch’s complaint be dismissed.