HOUSTON — A Norway-based maritime technology company alleges a League City tow truck company overinflated its costs for a job by more than $70,000 after discovering the "worth" of the equipment it towed.
Kogsberg Maritime, Inc filed a complaint Oct. 28 in Harris County District Court against Gass Automotive Inc., alleging fraud.
On July 7, the complaint states, Kogsberg required Gass to tow its vehicle and a 75-ton thruster it purchased at a marine salvage site that then sank into the dirt roadway. Gass allegedly pulled the vehicle and thruster onto a solid roadway and charged $6,160.
The suit states the thruster then began to sink into the ground and required once again to be moved the next day. Kogsberg alleges a verbal agreement of between $16,000 and $20,000 was quoted for the job. However, Kogsberg says it was presented with a $75,000 invoice by Gass which it refused to pay.
A week later Kongsberg alleges it received an "itemized invoice for $113,279.59. The plaintiff alleges Gass inflated the charges after researching the "worth" of the thruster.
Kogsberg seeks monetary damages between $100,000 and $200,000, attonrey fees, court costs and all other just relief. It is represented by attorney Jessica Glatzer Mason of Foley & Lardner LLP in Houston.
U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Texas Galveston Division case number 19-CV-21673