Last weekend's New York City ferry boat accident involved the same boat that slammed into the terminal in 2003, angering safety advocates, passengers and others who claim the city is responsible for the injury of three dozen passengers.

New York City municipal liability attorneys can assist passengers or others who have been injured on city property. A 50-year-old construction worker from Queens said Tuesday he would file a $5 million personal injury lawsuit after suffering a back injury as a result of Saturday's accident, which occurred when the Staten Island Ferry boat slammed into a pier.

The Associated Press reported on Monday that the assistant captain was at the helm at the time of the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating and has interviewed the chief engineer and some of the crew members on the ferry, which was carrying 252 passengers and about 18 crew members with it crashed into St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island.

The 2003 crash involved the same boat -- killing 11 people and injuring a dozen others. The boat's pilot in that case pleaded guilty to manslaughter, although investigators found inadequate training and enforcement of safety rules was also to blame.

The New York Times reported a mechanical failure could be to blame for Saturday's crash; the final cause awaits the outcome of the investigation by city, state and federal officials. The boat's pilot had five-years of experience and had been promoted from assistant captain to captain in March. He was nearby on the bridge at the time of the crash. Retired pilots told the media it was customary for the assistant captain to pilot the ferry on the return trip from Manhattan.

Investigators report that the two engines closest to the dock stopped functioning at the point of impact. An underwater investigation did not reveal visible damage to the boat's sophisticated propeller system, although officials are looking into the possibility that the system malfunctioned.