Attorneys Darl Champion and Brendan Krasinski of The Champion Firm, along with five other law firms, filed a lawsuit against multiple companies that were involved in the construction of the Sapelo Island gangway, which abruptly collapsed last October, killing seven and injuring more than a dozen others.
The 101-page lawsuit against the five liable contractors was filed on behalf of 50 plaintiffs, some of whom were survivors of the collapse and some of whom lost loved ones in the catastrophe. The Champion Firm is representing clients for two wrongful death claims and one personal injury claim in this lawsuit.
The Sapelo Island Dock Collapse
The Sapelo Island gangway was an 80-foot aluminum dock that served as a boarding platform for ferry passengers to queue in line before entering the ferry back to mainland Georgia.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has said the dock was built and evaluated by engineering and construction contractors to support the weight of 320 people safely.
However, on October 19, 2024, the dock abruptly collapsed while approximately 40 people were standing on it as they prepared to return to the mainland.
Roughly 700 people had visited the island that day for a cultural celebration in the Hogg Hummock community, which was founded by descendants of Black enslaved Gullah-Geechee plantation workers emancipated after the Civil War.
The collapse plunged over 20 people into cold water below, some being quickly swept toward the sea in the strong tide. Local sheriff’s departments, fire departments, and the U.S. Coast Guard deployed rescue measures.
However, with little medical or emergency response staff immediately available on the small island, civilian bystanders who witnessed the collapse took immediate lifesaving efforts upon themselves.
“There was no EMS that was there,” one witness told the Associated Press. “We were the EMS.”
The dock had been reconstructed only a few years earlier in 2021 after the island’s residents filed a lawsuit addressing the original dock’s failure to comply with federal accessibility standards, making it difficult for people with disabilities to reach the island.
A ferry worker told FOX5 Atlanta that he had complained to his superior months before the disaster that the gangway did not seem sturdy, but no action was ever taken to reinforce it.
Lawsuit Filed for Negligence, Wrongful Death
The lawsuit against the engineering and construction companies responsible for building the gangway was filed in Gwinnett County State Court on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. The companies face 19 different charges, including wrongful death, negligence, and personal injury.
Among those named in the lawsuit are Crescent Marine Access, Stevens and Wilkinson, EMC Engineering, and Centennial Contractors, among others.
Each party named in the lawsuit played a role in either designing, manufacturing, inspecting, or otherwise ensuring the structural integrity of the gangway. Furthermore, the lawsuit provides evidence that overseeing authorities were aware of safety issues with the gangway since 2022, but did not rectify them:
“[A] ‘completely failed weld’ had been found during an inspection, and concerns raised over a loud popping sound as people were walking across the platform” were described in an email between one of the companies and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, according to Action News Jax. Yet, “The email later said there were no issues or concerns related to the gangway’s structural integrity.”
The Champion Firm, along with the other firms bringing this lawsuit, seeks to not only recover damages for our clients affected by this preventable tragedy, but also to hold accountable those who allowed it to happen.
If you or someone you know has been injured by negligence, contact our team of award-winning personal injury attorneys. We’ve recovered over $150 million in our clients’ personal injury cases to date.
