Doyle Dennis Avery LLP has filed a lawsuit in Harris County, Texas against Taylor Marine Construction, Inc. and Central Boat Rentals, Inc. on behalf of a Jones Act seaman who sustained serious injuries while working aboard a tug vessel in Galveston Bay. The lawsuit brings claims under the Jones Act and general maritime law, including allegations of negligence and unseaworthiness that led to a devastating workplace accident.
Incident Background: Dredging Accident in Galveston Bay
On September 20, 2025, our client was performing his duties as a deckhand aboard a tug vessel owned and operated by Central Boat Rentals, Inc. At the time of the incident, the vessel and its crew were providing assistance to Taylor Marine Construction with a dredging project in Galveston Bay near La Porte, Texas.
During the dredging operation, an excavator being operated as part of the project threw a large rock from the excavation site. The rock struck our client while he was on the deck of the vessel, knocking him down and pinning him to the deck. This sudden and violent impact resulted in serious injuries to his left leg and other parts of his body, requiring immediate medical treatment and causing ongoing physical limitations that have significantly impacted his ability to work and his quality of life. For immediate assistance regarding similar incidents, contact our team at 713-571-1146.
Maritime Negligence Claims Against Taylor Marine Construction
The lawsuit asserts claims against Taylor Marine Construction, Inc. for general maritime negligence arising from the dangerous operation of heavy equipment during the dredging project. Maritime employers and contractors working on navigable waters owe specific duties to ensure the safety of all maritime workers in the vicinity of their operations.
Negligent Operation of Excavator Equipment
The operation of heavy machinery such as excavators near working vessels requires extreme caution and proper safety protocols. The lawsuit alleges that Taylor Marine Construction failed to operate the excavator in a reasonably safe manner, resulting in rocks and debris being thrown toward the tug vessel where our client was working. This created an unreasonable risk of harm to the vessel’s crew members.
Failure to Coordinate Operations Safely
When multiple parties are working in close proximity on maritime projects, proper coordination of operations is essential to prevent accidents. The lawsuit alleges that Taylor Marine Construction failed to adequately coordinate its dredging operations with the positioning and activities of the tug vessel and its crew, creating dangerous conditions that led to our client’s injuries.
Inadequate Safety Procedures and Protocols
Maritime construction and dredging operations require comprehensive safety procedures to protect workers. The lawsuit asserts that Taylor Marine Construction failed to implement and follow adequate safety procedures that would have prevented rocks and debris from striking nearby vessel crew members. This failure to maintain proper safety protocols constitutes negligence under general maritime law.
Insufficient Supervision and Training
Proper supervision of heavy equipment operators and adequate training in safe operational procedures are critical in maritime construction projects. The lawsuit alleges failures in supervision and training that contributed to the dangerous conditions and the excavator operator’s unsafe actions that directly caused our client’s injuries.
Jones Act Claims Against Central Boat Rentals
In addition to maritime negligence claims against Taylor Marine Construction, the lawsuit brings claims against Central Boat Rentals, Inc. under the Jones Act for failing to provide our client with a reasonably safe place to work.
The Jones Act and Employer Duties
The Jones Act is a federal law that provides crucial protections for maritime workers who qualify as seamen. Under the Jones Act, vessel owners and maritime employers owe their seamen a duty to provide a reasonably safe work environment, proper equipment, adequate training, and sufficient crew to perform work safely. When an employer’s negligence contributes in any way to a seaman’s injuries, the employer can be held liable under the Jones Act.
Failure to Provide a Safe Workplace
The lawsuit alleges that Central Boat Rentals failed to provide our client with a reasonably safe place to work. This includes the failure to ensure that dredging operations being conducted in close proximity to the vessel were performed safely, the failure to properly position the vessel away from dangerous excavation activities, and the failure to implement adequate safety measures to protect crew members from flying rocks and debris.
Inadequate Safety Planning and Risk Assessment
Before beginning work on maritime projects involving multiple parties and heavy equipment operations, proper safety planning and risk assessment are essential. The lawsuit asserts that Central Boat Rentals failed to adequately assess the risks associated with working in close proximity to the dredging operation and failed to implement appropriate safety measures to protect its crew from foreseeable hazards.
Negligent Coordination with Contractors
When vessel owners allow their vessels and crews to work alongside contractors performing hazardous operations, they have a duty to ensure proper coordination and safety protocols are in place. The lawsuit alleges that Central Boat Rentals negligently failed to coordinate with Taylor Marine Construction to establish safe working procedures and boundaries that would have protected our client from injury.
Unseaworthiness Claims Under General Maritime Law
Beyond Jones Act negligence, the lawsuit also brings claims for unseaworthiness under general maritime law. Unseaworthiness is a strict liability doctrine that holds vessel owners responsible when their vessels are not reasonably fit for their intended purpose.
What Makes a Vessel Unseaworthy
A vessel is considered unseaworthy if it lacks adequate equipment, has defective or dangerous conditions, or operates with insufficient or incompetent crew members. Unseaworthiness can also arise when a vessel owner allows the vessel to be used in dangerous operations without proper safety measures or coordination with other parties.
Unseaworthy Conditions in This Case
The lawsuit alleges that the tug vessel was unseaworthy because Central Boat Rentals allowed it to be positioned and operated in close proximity to dangerous dredging operations without adequate protective measures for the crew. By failing to ensure proper safety protocols, safe positioning, and coordination with the dredging contractor, Central Boat Rentals rendered the vessel unseaworthy for the work being performed. Unlike Jones Act claims that require proof of negligence, unseaworthiness is strict liability, meaning the vessel owner can be held liable simply by proving that an unseaworthy condition existed and caused the injury.
Serious Injuries Sustained by Our Client
As a result of being struck by the large rock thrown from the excavator, our client sustained serious and debilitating injuries that have significantly impacted his life and livelihood.
Left Leg Injuries
Our client suffered severe injuries to his left leg when the rock struck and pinned him to the deck. Leg injuries in maritime accidents can range from fractures and crush injuries to soft tissue damage, ligament tears, and nerve damage. These injuries often require surgical intervention, extended rehabilitation, and may result in permanent limitations on mobility and the ability to perform physically demanding maritime work.
Additional Bodily Injuries
Beyond the specific injuries to his left leg, our client sustained general bodily injuries from the impact and from being pinned by the rock. These injuries may include bruising, contusions, potential back or spinal injuries, and soft tissue damage throughout the body. The full extent of these injuries requires comprehensive medical evaluation and ongoing treatment.
Ongoing Physical Limitations
Our client continues to experience significant physical limitations as a result of his injuries. These limitations affect his ability to walk, stand for extended periods, climb, lift, and perform the physically demanding tasks required in his maritime career. The ongoing nature of these limitations raises serious concerns about his ability to return to his previous work and earn a living in the maritime industry.
Impact on Career and Livelihood
Maritime work as a deckhand is physically demanding, requiring strength, agility, balance, and the ability to work in challenging conditions for extended periods. Our client’s injuries may prevent him from returning to his chosen career, resulting in lost earning capacity and the need for potential retraining in a different field. The loss of his maritime career represents not only a financial hardship but also the loss of his professional identity and life’s work.
Damages Sought in the Lawsuit
The lawsuit seeks full and fair compensation for all damages suffered by our client as a result of the defendants’ negligence and failure to provide a seaworthy vessel. This includes compensation for past and future medical expenses covering all medical treatment including emergency care, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, medical devices, and ongoing medical care required for the rest of his life. Our client is entitled to compensation for lost wages and lost earning capacity, representing the difference between what he would have earned over his career as a maritime worker and what he can now earn given his physical limitations.
The lawsuit also seeks compensation for pain and suffering, including the physical pain endured from the initial injury, during treatment and rehabilitation, and ongoing chronic pain. Additionally, our client deserves compensation for mental anguish, covering the emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and psychological impact of the accident and resulting limitations. If applicable, the lawsuit includes claims for physical impairment and disfigurement, compensating for permanent physical limitations, disability, and any permanent scarring or physical changes resulting from the injuries or necessary surgical treatments.
Understanding Maritime Workers’ Rights in Dredging Operations
Unique Hazards of Maritime Dredging Projects
Dredging operations present unique hazards to maritime workers. These projects involve heavy equipment operating on or near vessels, the movement of large amounts of material, coordination between multiple parties, and work in close quarters on navigable waters. Common hazards include flying rocks and debris, equipment failures, vessel collisions, inadequate communication, and the operation of excavators and other heavy machinery in proximity to working crews.
Legal Protections for Maritime Workers
Maritime workers involved in dredging operations are protected by several bodies of law, including the Jones Act for seamen, general maritime law providing remedies for negligence and unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure benefits regardless of fault. These protections recognize the inherently dangerous nature of maritime work and provide multiple avenues for injured workers to seek compensation.
Maintenance and Cure Benefits
Even before filing a lawsuit, injured seamen are entitled to maintenance and cure—a no-fault benefit requiring employers to provide daily living allowances and all necessary medical treatment until the injured worker reaches maximum medical improvement. Employers who unreasonably deny or delay maintenance and cure benefits can face additional penalties and liability. If you are being denied these benefits, call 713-571-1146 for immediate legal assistance.
Common Causes of Maritime Dredging Accidents
Improper Operation of Heavy Equipment
Excavators, cranes, and other heavy equipment used in dredging operations can cause serious injuries when operated improperly or without adequate safety precautions. Equipment operators must be properly trained, supervised, and aware of the location of nearby vessels and crew members at all times.
Inadequate Safety Zones and Boundaries
Dredging projects require clearly established safety zones to keep workers at safe distances from dangerous equipment and operations. Failure to establish and maintain adequate safety boundaries can lead to workers being struck by equipment, rocks, or debris.
Poor Communication and Coordination
When multiple parties are working on a project—such as a dredging contractor and a vessel crew—clear communication and coordination are essential. Breakdowns in communication can result in dangerous situations where workers are unaware of hazards or equipment operators are unaware of worker locations.
Insufficient Safety Planning
Complex maritime projects require comprehensive safety planning before work begins. This includes risk assessments, development of safety protocols, training of all personnel, and ongoing monitoring to ensure safe operations. Inadequate safety planning is a common cause of maritime accidents.
Time Pressure and Cost Cutting
Unfortunately, pressure to complete projects quickly or under budget sometimes leads to shortcuts in safety procedures. When companies prioritize speed or cost savings over worker safety, serious accidents often result.
Why Choose Doyle Dennis Avery LLP
Our firm, led by partners Michael Doyle, Patrick Dennis, and Jeff Avery, has been successfully fighting for injured maritime workers for decades. We have extensive experience representing injured maritime workers throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond, with a deep understanding of the Jones Act, general maritime law, unseaworthiness doctrine, and the specific challenges involved in maritime injury cases involving dredging operations, vessel accidents, and offshore injuries.
Proven Track Record
Doyle Dennis Avery LLP has obtained millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured maritime workers, including a $7.86 million verdict for a drill ship operations adviser injured aboard a vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, a $9.6 million verdict for a mechanical supervisor injured on a semi-submersible drilling vessel, a $4.5 million verdict for a captain injured during a personnel basket transfer in the Gulf of Mexico, and a $2.56 million verdict for a seaman injured in a fall on a tanker. We have secured numerous other significant recoveries for deckhands, tankermen, and other maritime workers throughout the region.
No Upfront Costs
We handle Jones Act and maritime injury cases on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We also advance all costs associated with investigating and prosecuting your case, including expert witnesses, so you face no financial risk in pursuing your legal rights.
Comprehensive Investigation
Maritime accident cases require thorough investigation to identify all causes of the incident and all responsible parties. Our firm has the resources to conduct comprehensive investigations, including consulting with maritime safety experts, equipment specialists, accident reconstruction experts, and medical professionals. For a free consultation about your maritime injury case, contact Doyle Dennis Avery LLP at 713-571-1146.