BEAUMONT – A recently filed Jones Act lawsuit alleges that a seaman’s hand was crushed by a steel chain while out on a shrimping boat.
Through The Ferguson Law Firm, Tai Luu filed suit against Dieu Le and Captain Magic on May 22 in Jefferson County District Court.
According to the lawsuit, on Sept. 23, 2018, Luu was on the defendants’ vessel for a commercial shrimping voyage when the vessel became stuck and Luu was ordered to fix a steel chain.
“As Mr. Luu was following the Captain’s direct commands by untangling the steel chain, he indicated to stop the retraction of the chain but one of the other deckhands failed to do so causing Mr. Luu’s hand to be crushed by the retracting chain,” the suit states. “Following the tragic and preventable incident, TAI LUU was taken to Galveston, Texas for medical treatment.
“Sadly, his doctor had no other choice but to cut off a large portion of Mr. Luu’s index finger.”
The suit accused the defendants of negligently failing to maintain the vessel and keep it in a seaworthy condition.
Luu is suing for his past and future medical expenses, mental anguish, pain, lost wages, impairment and disfigurement.
He is represented by Ferguson Law attorneys Cody Dishon and Charlotte Rogers, as well as Sean Nguyen of Cedillo & Nguyen.
Judge Baylor Wortham, 136th District Court, has been assigned to the case.
Case No. D-205769