Families of Baltimore Bridge Collapse Victims Sue Ship Owner

The families of six workers who died in the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore filed lawsuits on Friday against the owner and operator of the cargo ship that struck the bridge.

The lawsuits, filed in Maryland federal court, represent the families of Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Miguel Angel Luna, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval, and Jose Mynor Lopez. The families seek unspecified damages from the ship’s registered owner, Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, alleging that the companies negligently allowed the ship to leave Baltimore despite being aware of its mechanical problems.

Julio Cervantes Suarez, a surviving worker who was injured in the collapse, also filed a separate lawsuit against the companies on Friday, seeking compensation for his injuries. According to the lawsuit, Cervantes was inside his truck when it plunged into the Patapsco River after the bridge gave way.

Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, acknowledged that the claims were expected ahead of a September filing deadline but declined to comment on the lawsuits’ specifics. “We do look forward to our day in court to set the record straight,” Wilson said.

Craig Sico, an attorney for one of the victims’ families, stated that the lawsuits were part of a coordinated effort by the families of those affected.

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice also filed a lawsuit against Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, accusing the companies of neglecting or mishandling the ship’s mechanical issues. The department’s lawsuit seeks over $100 million in damages, which it says was spent on the federal response to the disaster and clearing the wreckage from the Patapsco River, which allowed the waterway to reopen in June.

The bridge collapsed on March 26, after the container ship lost power and crashed into a support pylon, sending a section of the bridge into the river. Six workers on the bridge at the time were killed.
Grace Ocean and Synergy filed a petition in April to limit their liability for the crash to the estimated value of the ship and its cargo—around $43 million. Potential claimants have until September 24 to come forward.

In addition to the families’ lawsuits, Brawner Builders, the company that employed the workers who died, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, seeking damages for the loss of its employees, construction equipment, and vehicles.

On Friday, Ace American Insurance (now known as Chubb) also filed a lawsuit against Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, seeking to recover $350 million paid out to the Maryland Transportation Authority following the bridge’s collapse under a property insurance policy.