Attorneys for the families of two construction workers killed in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and another who survived vowed on Monday to fight a request from the owner and manager of a container ship that hit the span to limit their liability in the disaster.

On March 26, the Dali, an 984-foot-long container ship, hit the bridge and sent it plunging into the Patapsco River. Six construction workers filling potholes on Interstate 695 were killed in the disaster.

Less than week later, Grace Ocean Private and Synergy Marine Group, the owner and the manager of the Dali, respectively, filed a petition in U.S. District Court in Baltimore seeking to limit their liability in the collapse. They’re looking to restrict their exposure to the value of the vessel and the freight after the bridge collapsed onto the ship, citing the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851. The companies put that figure at $43.67 million.

U.S. Chief District Judge James K. Bredar is presiding over the case and set a claims deadline of Sept. 24.

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Lawyers with Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys in Atlanta and Kreindler & Kreindler LLP in New York told reporters that they will file a claim in the case during a news conference at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, which took place hours after FBI agents started raiding the Dali on Monday as part of “court-authorized law enforcement activity.” They’re representing the families of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes and José Mynor López, who died in the incident, as well as Julio Cervantes, who they stated was able to survive by escaping through the window of his work vehicle and hanging on to debris floating in the water. Cervantes cannot swim.

“America has always been a place where dreams come true,” said Justin Miller, a partner at Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys. “And for our clients, on this day, that dream became a nightmare.”

In a statement, Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Synergy Marine Group, said the company again extends its “deepest sympathy to all those impacted by this incident.”

“Due to the magnitude of the incident, there are various government agencies conducting investigations, in which we are fully participating,” Wilson said. “Out of respect for these investigations and any future legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Kevin Mahoney, a partner at Kreindler & Kreindler LLP, noted that lawmakers passed the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 before Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.

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“The Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 is unfair, it’s unjust and it serves no purpose,” Mahoney said. “It rubs salt in the wounds of these family members who now must enter this claims process while they’re still mourning their loved ones.”

Mahony said the legal team is not afraid of the petition. “We will defeat it,” he declared, but he called on Congress to repeal the law.

Left to right: Kevin Mahoney, of Kreindler & Kreindler LLP in New York, and Michael Roth, L. Chris Stewart and Justin Miller, of Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, speak on Monday during a news conference at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. They’re representing the families of two construction workers killed in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and another who survived. (Dylan Segelbaum)

The managing partner at Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys, L. Chris Stewart, said the ship owner went to federal court to protect its assets as the bodies of some of the construction workers were still under the bridge.

Stewart said he doesn’t know what justice looks like in the case.

The lives of those killed in the collapse, he said, were priceless.

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Correction: A photo caption has been updated to correctly identify Michael Roth of Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys.

Dylan Segelbaum

dylan.segelbaum@thebaltimorebanner.com

Dylan Segelbaum

Dylan Segelbaum is the courts reporter at The Baltimore Banner.

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