Lawsuit filed after man's foot allegedly crushed between two boats

A man suffered severe injuries to his foot after it allegedly was crushed between two boats.

Charles "Chuck" Schuessler filed a lawsuit Aug. 25 in Galveston County District Court against Genesis Marine. 

In his complaint, Schuessler alleges he was dispatched to perform pilotage services on the boat "Gulf Service" on June 18. He safely brought the boat to the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel and was attempting to disembark onto another boat using a pilot ladder, according to the complaint. However, he was not able to do so and was forced to disembark off the stern instead, the suit states.

"Unfortunately, the Gulf Service was not equipped with proper pilot boarding/disembarkation accommodations, and Schuessler's foot was crushed between the side of the Gulf Service and the pilot boat," the complaint says.

Due to the incident, Schuessler says he suffered three crushed toes, ligament damage and open wound on his right foot that required 23 staples to close. In addition, according to the complaint, he endured physical pain, suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment, lost wages and his earning capacity and incurred medical costs.

He blames Genesis Marine for causing his injuries, saying the company failed to have the required boarding accommodations and failed to provide a properly manned vessel.

In his complaint, Schuessler seeks a judgment within the jurisdictional limits of the court, plus pre- and post-judgment interest at the maximum rate permitted by law, punitive damages, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Paxton N. Crew, of The Crew Law Firm in League City, will represent him.

Galveston County District Court case number: 14-CV-905.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at Galveston County District Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.