Woman ‘crushed’ during Fort Lauderdale crane collapse, lawyers say. She’s suing for $50M
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Fort Lauderdale crane plummets onto bridge, killing a construction worker
On April 4, part of a crane’s heavy metal framework plunged onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge in Fort Lauderdale while it was being put together. A construction worker, 27-year-old Jorge De La Torre, was killed and three others were injured.
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A woman who was diagnosed with brain damage after a portion of a crane fell onto a bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale is seeking more than $50 million in damages.
Attorneys for Gemmalyn Castillo filed a lawsuit in Broward circuit court Thursday against five companies linked to the April 4 partial crane collapse on the Southeast Third Avenue bridge. A construction worker was killed, and three people were injured, including one person who was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
READ MORE: 1 dead, 3 injured as Fort Lauderdale building crane fails, crushes cars on bridge
Attorneys say the “reckless actions” of Kast Construction — and the other companies involved in construction of the 43-story Riverwalk Residences — culminated with the injury of Castillo, who was a passenger in a Tesla.
“She’s been diagnosed with organic brain damage, permanent scarring to her face and has undergone significant psychological treatment,” attorney Brett Rosen said during a news conference.
The companies named in the suit include:
▪ Kast Construction, the West Palm Beach-based general contractor of the project, which was responsible for hiring and supervising various subcontractors
▪ Georgia-based Maxim Crane Works, which provided crane rentals and heavy lifting equipment, among other services
▪ Phoenix Rigging & Erecting, based in Kentucky, which provided specialized engineering expertise in heavy transportation
▪ CG Riverwalk, the owner of the residences
▪ Gables Residential Services, the building’s developer
‘Reckless disregard’
During the incident, Castillo, a special education teacher at Quiet Waters Elementary School in Deerfield Beach, was “crushed” by the impact and suffered severe and serious head and facial trauma, the filing says.
When she was inside the car — profusely bleeding from an open head wound, all she could think about were her four children, according to the suit.
“In those moments, when she was inside that car with the blood gushing down her face, thinking, ‘This is the end, I am going to die,’ the only thing she could think about was her four children and that she had to live,” Rosen said. “She had to find a way out of that car.”
READ MORE: ‘There’s people screaming.’ New 911 calls detail fatal Fort Lauderdale crane fall
Castillo has not been able to return to work, and her attorneys are unsure if she will be able to in the future given the severity of her injuries.
“She loves caring for children, especially special needs children,” Rosen said. “This incident has caused a ripple effect in her life that will change her forever... She won’t be the same Gemma.”
Kast Construction and the other companies, Castillo’s attorneys allege, operated with a “reckless disregard for human life and safety.” They also failed to inspect the crane, create a safety plan to re-route traffic while the crane was being assembled and didn’t request that the bridge be closed for construction.
“The cutting corners in this construction project was all about money,” attorney Judd Rosen said. “The developer wanted to pay less.”
The crane fall is being investigated, records show.
READ MORE: OSHA investigating construction companies tied to fatal Fort Lauderdale crane incident
Days after the partial collapse, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened a probe into Kast Construction, Phoenix Rigging & Erecting and Maxim Crane Works. The cases are pending.
“The Defendants had an obligation and a duty to conduct their construction activities, including the maintenance, operation, construction, and supervision of the subject crane such that those activities would not cause a danger to the general public,” attorney Judd Rosen said in the filing.
Through subpoenas and depositions, Castillo’s attorneys hope to get answers on what occurred and who should be held responsible. Her legal counsel will be asking for “punitive” damages against Kast Construction and the other listed companies if they are found to be at fault.
“This gentleman didn’t have to die; our client didn’t have to suffer these horrific injuries,” Judd Rosen said. “If only safety protocols were followed.”
This story was originally published April 29, 2024 at 7:00 AM.
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