In the Headlines
September 25, 2024
Baltimore Bridge Wreck: 6 Months Later, Claims Mount
Law360
Transportation & Infrastructure attorney Benjamin Allen was quoted in a Law360 article about the mounting legal claims following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. The article discussed the complex legal landscape six months after the incident, with numerous parties including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filing claims against the ship's owner and manager. These claims challenge the attempt to limit liability to $43.7 million under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851. Mr. Allen highlighted the court's daunting task of managing all of the diverse claims within financial constraints.
"If the court sides with the DOJ completely and says the Limitation of Liability Act is not applicable, then you have the potential for huge exposure," he said. "I don't know that they'd actually be able to recover all of it ... The question becomes is there enough insurance coverage, do the different entities have enough assets to cover all of that?"
READ: Baltimore Bridge Wreck: 6 Months Later, Claims Mount (Subscription required)
"If the court sides with the DOJ completely and says the Limitation of Liability Act is not applicable, then you have the potential for huge exposure," he said. "I don't know that they'd actually be able to recover all of it ... The question becomes is there enough insurance coverage, do the different entities have enough assets to cover all of that?"
READ: Baltimore Bridge Wreck: 6 Months Later, Claims Mount (Subscription required)