EAST ST. LOUIS — An East Carondelet man is suing a towing vessel operator after a tugboat captain allegedly collided with a barge, causing a computer cooler to strike him.
Christopher Bryan filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Inland Marine Services, alleging the towing vessel operator failed to provide a seaworthy vessel.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Oct. 2, 2014, he was employed as a deck hand working aboard the defendant's tugboat, the Cindy L. He claims the rear of the boat got caught underneath a barge, which caused a computer cooler to slide across the galley floor and strike him.
The plaintiff claims he sustained injuries that caused him to suffer physical and mental pain and loss of earning capacity and has incurred medical expenses.
The plaintiff alleges Inland Marine Services improperly secured the computer cooler to the galley, and the tugboat's captain negligently failed to keep the boat under control.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment in excess $15,000,000, plus interest, costs expended for this action and such other relief as the court deems just and proper.
He is represented by Khouri Law Firm of Joseph V. Neill and Reiad M. Khouri in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:17-cv-00099