Update on the FIU Pedestrian Bridge:
According to a report from Florida Politics, a lawyer for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) informed a Tallassee judge in a recent court proceeding that potential criminal charges could end up being filed as a result of the collapse of a bridge on March 15th at the campus of Florida International University (FIU) in Miami.
The NTSB lawyer informed the judge that “at least two” federal agencies as well as the Miami-Dade Police Department are currently conducting criminal investigations into the collapse of the bridge. The disclosure came in a letter sent this week to Tallahassee Judge John Cooper from an internal NTSB lawyer. The Tallahassee lawsuit stems from a public records request that was made by the Miami Herald newspaper to the Florida Department of Transportation for records related to the FDOT’s own investigation of the FIU bridge collapse.
The FDOT has refused to hand over the documents to the Herald, which led the Herald to file a lawsuit against the FDOT seeking a judge to order the state agency to hand over the documents. According to a letter sent by a senior NTSB attorney, the federal agency has specifically prohibited the FDOT from handing over the requested documents under the authority of a federal regulation that allows the NTSB to ban the release of any information regarding an incident prior to the NTSB’s prior release of the information. The NTSB lawyer also promised that the information would be released once its own investigation of the accident is complete.
The Collapse of the FIU Bridge
In a Florida construction site accident that made national news headlines, a pedestrian bridge at FIU’s main campus in Miami collapsed on March 15th during structural testing that was being performed even though cracks had been discovered in the bridge several days earlier. Six people died in the collapse, including motorists, passengers and one construction worker.
Firefighters found five victims trapped underneath the concrete, while a sixth victim died of injuries from the bridge’s collapse at the hospital. Since the collapse, troubling details have emerged regarding construction of the bridge that have called into question its safety from the very beginning of the project, which was six months behind in completion and running millions of dollars over budget. This recent lawsuit by the Herald and the public records request that preceded it, were part of a media effort to get to the bottom of what exactly occurred to cause the FIU bridge collapse
Contact Lytal Reiter if You or a Loved One Have Been Involved in a Construction Site Accident
Construction sites pose many dangers for workers and non-workers alike. As reflected in the FIU pedestrian bridge collapse, construction site accidents can result in multiple wrongful deaths or other tragic consequences for those who just had the unfortunate luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries as a result of a construction site accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath today at (561) 655-1990 (561) 655-1990.
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About Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath
Conveniently located in West Palm Beach for 27 years, Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, LLP concentrates in Personal Injury, Wrongful death, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability and Auto accidents. At Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, we specialize in helping victims and their families get fair compensation for injuries caused by the negligence or recklessness of others. Our main areas of practice include personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, and premise liability. We provide each client with the highest quality representation from a top Florida accident and injury lawyer. Call for a free consultation today at (561) 655-1990 or visit our website.
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