Eiland
GALVESTON – Seaman Eugene Ceasar claims he was injured two years ago as he attempted to board a vessel, recent court documents say.
Ceasar's lawsuit against his employers Ryan Marine Services Inc., Columbia Star Inc. and Star Legacy Inc. shows the plaintiff sustained injuries to his shoulder, back, neck and other parts of his body on June 20, 2008, when he boarded the Cyclops.
The suit was filed Feb. 18 in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas.
According to the original petition, the Cyclops was forced to port at Talen Marine after its crew learned that the ship's captain illegally possessed a concealed handgun with live ammunition. Ceasar and the other crew members waited at the Talen Marine facility for several hours before being ordered back on the ship.
Ceasar points out that the defendants failed to provide a safe, efficient and proper means of ingress and egress to and from the vessel and the dock.
"As the plaintiff was boarding the vessel, having to jump from the dock to the vessel, the vessel moved away from the dock and Mr. Ceasar fell between the dock and the vessel," the suit says.
"Fortunately, Mr. Ceasar was able to hold on to the side of the vessel. But his body was violently thrown back and forth against the vessel due to the current and flow of the waterway."
The complainant adds a co-worker rescued him and ultimately blames the captain – who is not named a defendant in the case – for failing to properly navigate the Cyclops into the Talen Marine facility.
"In fact, Captain Barnes failed to navigate the vessel close enough to the dock so that the vessel could be secured to provide safe egress to and from the vessel," the suit says.
Ceasar insists that his injuries required surgery thus seeks unspecified monetary damages.
He is represented by attorney Craig Eiland of Galveston.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt.
Case No. 3:11-cv-00088