Final Answer for Victim's Family in Boston 'Big Dig' Death: $28M
The family of a 38-year-old woman who was crushed to death in 2006 when a portion of the so-called “Big Dig” tunnel ceiling collapsed in Boston will get $28 million in settlements, after reaching an agreement with the remaining defendants in the wrongful death case.
“Milena Del Valle’s family agreed to accept a total of $18.1 million yesterday from construction contractor Modern Continental, project manager Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, six smaller companies, and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, according to the family’s lawyers. The Del Valle family had already settled with two other defendants for $10 million,” reports the Boston Globe.
The settlements involve no admission of liability—but also no confidentiality provision, because the family wouldn’t agree to one, says attorney Jeffrey Denner, who represents Del Valle’s injured husband, Angel, with the help of co-counsel Raipher Pellegrino. Angel Del Valle, who is in his early 50s, and his wife’s three children will split the settlement money.
“We brought this lawsuit to shine a light on what had happened,” Denner tells the newspaper. “That has occurred.”
At one point last year, lawyers said they thought the tort case might be worth $500 million in damages, as discussed in an earlier ABAJournal.com post.
Related criminal case coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Anger Over $500M ‘Big Dig’ Settlement”
ABAJournal.com: “Manslaughter Case Against Company Over ‘Big Dig’ Accident Continues”
ABAJournal.com: “Company Charged in ‘Big Dig’ Death Case”
