Civil Litigation involving U.S. Citizens

Former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner and his family have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort in Costa Rica, nearly one year after 14-year-old son Miller died of carbon monoxide poisoning there on March 21. The suit, filed Friday and detailed by the family’s law firm Motley Rice, alleges the resort’s mechanical room and equipment failed to meet basic safety standards and that neither the mechanical room nor guest rooms had carbon monoxide monitors, leading to deadly gas levels. All four family members were sickened, with Brett Gardner reportedly suffering severe vomiting and temporary paralysis, his wife experiencing confusion and hallucinations, and their older son escaping outside for fresh air after struggling to move. An autopsy test showed Miller’s carboxyhemoglobin saturation at 64%, well above the 50% level considered lethal, while Costa Rican authorities raided the resort in September and say the death remains under investigation. The case highlights long-running concerns about carbon monoxide protections and monitoring standards in international hotels frequented by Americans, where safety rules and enforcement can differ sharply from U.S. norms.