Minnesota Bridge Collapse institutions total $ 36.6 million

All 179 claims against the State of Minnesota, on behalf of those affected by a bridge collapse in 2007 have been settled for $ 36.6 million, with institutions from $ 4,500 to more than $ 2.2 million.

The State of Minnesota, agreed to pay settlements to survivors of the tragedy and the family members eligible to submit cases of wrongful death for the 13 people killed in the heavily traveled Interstate 35W bridge collapsed on 1st August 2007.

Last November, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the collapse occurred because of under-used building materials during construction.

A steel gusset plate that connects the bridge girders is only half as thick as it should have been to maintain the integrity of the structure. The error was attributed to a design defect that was detected from the bridge was built over 40 years.

According to the Associated Press, most personal injury lawyers representing victims and their families in the settlements offered highly recommended by the State through the compensation fund, the state of responsibility for the whole of the event was capped at $ 1 million for all victims under the law in place at the time of collapse.

In accepting the settlement, bridge collapse victims renounce their ability to file an personal injury lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota. However, they are not prevented from filing lawsuits against other parties who were involved in the collapse.

The first bridge collapse in Minnesota trial were filed in November 2008, to appoint one third of the inspectors and contractors doing work on the bridge when it fell.

The complaints allege that the buckling and bulging signs have been observed since 2003, but URS Corp., a consulting firm in San Francisco responsible for the assessment of bridges in the years before the collapse or have not attach to the meaning of signs or by negligence, did not observe problems.

The trial also alleged that Progressive Contractors, Inc, which performed the work on the bridge at the time of the collapse, negligently stored on 587 tons of equipment at the lowest point.(source)