Global Fastener News

Report: Settlement Talks Begin for Big Dig Lawsuit; Deadline for Criminal Charges Looms

Jason Sandefur

Companies involved in construction of Boston’s Big Dig tunnel system ceiling, which killed a woman in 2006 after it collapsed, are reportedly trying to reach a settlement with the woman’s family, the Boston Globe reports.
The family filed a multi-million lawsuit against the main tunnel contractors, along with the fastening system’s distributor, wholesaler and manufacturer, after the woman was crushed on July 10, 2006, by falling concrete ceiling panels that reportedly gave way when several bolts popped out. Investigators have focused on whether contractors used the proper adhesive to install the bolt-and-epoxy system, as well as the tunnel ceiling’s design.
The negotiations come as the June 30 deadline approaches for Attorney General Martha Coakley to decide whether to file manslaughter charges in the case. In addition, a federal report on the causes of the accident is scheduled for release on July 10.
“Legal analysts say a settlement within days remains a long shot in such an unprecedented case,” reports Scott Allen of the Globe. “Estimates of the potential damages the (family) could obtain from a jury have ranged from a few million up to $75 million.”
A prominent Boston attorney who specializes in aircraft crashes noted that considering the scope of the suit, “the fact that the talks have been scheduled suggests that the parties are serious.”
A review of records by the Associated Press determined that the bolts, about 5/8 of an inch in diameter and 6″ to 8″ long, had pulled out of drilled holes. Some of the bolts reportedly had no epoxy on them, while others had an uneven distribution of epoxy or epoxy that was discolored.
In addition to alleged fastener application errors, “there is evidence that the Turnpike Authority never thoroughly inspected the tunnel ceiling after the connector opened to traffic in 2003, possibly missing a chance to secure the slipping ceiling bolts before 20 ripped out almost simultaneously last July,” Allen notes. �2007 FastenerNews.com