Tourist suing Hilton Head beach patrol after rental chair allegedly amputated finger
A tourist from Ohio is suing Hilton Head’s beach patrol after a rental chair unexpectedly collapsed and allegedly amputated his finger.
Filed May 10 in Beaufort County civil court, the lawsuit says Andrew Oxley was visiting a Hilton Head beach on July 27, 2023 when he rented a chair from Shore Beach Service, the sole rental company serving the island’s 12 miles of beaches.
The chair then “suddenly and without warning collapsed,” resulting in the “amputation” of Oxley’s finger, according to the court summons. It was unclear whether the finger was severed by the chair or had to be surgically removed at a later time.
Oxley’s Charleston-based attorney Jonathan Arndt and Shore Beach Service spokesperson Mike Wagner declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.
On top of maintaining the staff of 80 lifeguards across Hilton Head’s beaches, Shore Beach Service provides trash collection and rentals — from their signature blue chairs and umbrellas to other beach equipment like kayaks, sailboats and bodyboards.
The family-owned beach patrol company was founded in 1974 and grossed $6 million in 2023. A contract with the Town of Hilton Head Island renewed over decades requires them to pay 1% of their yearly rental revenue to the town government.
The town’s most recent contract with Shore Beach Service specifies the company keeps a stock of 3,060 beach chairs across their 37 rental locations.
