Two law firms say they will conduct an independent investigation into what led to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The attorneys are representing the families of two construction workers who died in the wreckage, and a third who survived.
Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes and José Maynor López are among the six who lost their lives repairing potholes on the bridge on March 26th.
Attorney Kevin Mahoney of Kriendler & Kriendler said the ship's owners rubbed salt on a wound when they filed a claim, earlier this month, asking a judge to limit liability.
“The Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 is unfair, it's unjust and it serves no purpose,” Mahoney said. “Now we are not afraid of the limitation, we will defeat it, but we shouldn't have to.”
He said they will also represent Julio Cervantes, the only crew member to survive the fall from the bridge into the Patapsco River.
“He's the only survivor that went fully into the water,” said L. Chris Stewart, an attorney with Stewart Miller Simmons. “He survived because his window was manual. He was able to roll down the window and then hang on to some drifting to escape. You can imagine how frightening that is.”
Attorneys added that crew members were not warned of Dali’s advance.
The lawyers made the announcement inside of the Four Seasons Hotel Monday afternoon. They said their clients were “still mourning” and unable to speak, but the families are happy that the FBI is conducting its own investigation.
Correction: This version has been updated to note that Julio Cervantes is the only crew member to survive the fall.