BALTIMORE — On Monday the federal civil trial for the Dali's owners begins with a focus on liability.
Key Bridge collapse civil trial begins Monday
Less than a week after the Key Bridge collapse, the owners of the Dali, Grace Ocean Private, and Synergy Marine, filed a petition in court under the Limitation of Liability Act.
The companies are asking to either be fully exonerated of liability from the crash or to have that liability capped at just under $44 million, the estimated value of the ship and its cargo after damages and losses.
WMAR-2 News previously spoke with DC-area maritime attorney Allen Black of Mills Black LLP about the trial.
“I will say that limitation is generally not favored by the courts. I hate to make a prediction, but it seems like it's an uphill battle," Black said.
Judge James Bredar will decide the case, also weighing negligence.
An NTSB report traces the cause of the Dali's blackout to a single loose wire in the ship's electrical control center and that the disaster was entirely preventable.
The Dali's owners point to the ship's builders, Hyundai Heavy Industries, who the NTSB says also share fault for the loss of power.
The DOJ criminally charged the owners with conspiracy, misconduct causing death, and more.
The trial comes after the many settlements with the Dali's owners:
- Maryland settled for $2.25 billion.
- The families of the six construction workers who died when the bridge collapsed, as well as the lone survivor, also settled.
- The DOJ reached a $100 million settlement with the owners.
- BGE also settled.
But dozens of other claims in federal court are still looming from Baltimore City, Baltimore County, impacted businesses, and more.
The trial is expected to run for the better part of June.
As far as the Key Bridge rebuild, the state has parted ways with its previous general contractor.
