Skip to content
NOWCAST Pittsburgh's Action News 4 at 4pm
Live Now
Advertisement

Hearing occurs for lawsuit against city of Pittsburgh in Fern Hollow Bridge collapse

The hearing regarding the lawsuit filed against the city of Pittsburgh for the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse occurred on Thursday.

Hearing occurs for lawsuit against city of Pittsburgh in Fern Hollow Bridge collapse

The hearing regarding the lawsuit filed against the city of Pittsburgh for the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse occurred on Thursday.

ENTITIES HAVE HAD HANDS ON THIS BRIDGE IN THE PAST 11 YEARS. FIVE PEOPLE, WHO WERE EITHER CROSSING THE FERN HOLLOW BRIDGE THE MOMENT IT COLLAPSED IN JANUARY OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, ARE PUSHING FOR MORE INFORMATION THROUGH LEGAL ACTION. >> WHAT WE’RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THESE CASES IS MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T HAPPEN AGAIN AND MAKE SURE WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GETS HELD RESPONSIBLE. KALEA: ATTORNEY STEVE BARTH REPRESENTS DARYL LUCIANI AND HIS WIFE. DARYL WAS BEHIND WHEEL OF THE PORT AUTHORITY BUS THAT WENT DOWN WITH THE BRIDGE. >> IT’S ALMOST A DAILY REMINDER TO OUR CLIENTS OF WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH, SO WITH DARYL, THE INJURIES, JUST THE PTSD, KNOWING THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT DAY THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED. KALEA: HE AND THREE OTHER ATTORNEYS WENT BEFORE JUDGE PHILLIP IGNELZI TODAY VIRTUALLY TO ASK THAT THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH SHARE DISCOVERY IN THE COLLAPSE INVESTIGATION. SOLICITOR FOR THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH JOHN DOHERTY UNABLE TO COMMENT ON THE INVESTIGATION OUTSIDE OF THAT HEARING, BUT TOLD THE JUDGE A DETAILED HISTORY OF THE FERN HOLLOW BRIDGE IS TIED UP IN THE NTSB’S INVESTIGATION, AND ONLY THE NTSB CAN RELEASE IT. >> WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THE CITY BECAUSE IF WE CAN FIND THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE THE ONES THAT CAUSED THIS, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES TELLING THE CITY SOMETHING THAT THE CITY RELIED ON, THAT’S ALL WE’RE TRYING TO DO. KALEA: HE SAID THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY WHAT ENTITIES MIGHT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE CLIENTS’ PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. A GAG ORDER WAS DISCUSSED, BUT THE JUDGE DIDN’T GRANT IT. >> I THINK THEIR CONCERN WAS, HEY, WE DON’T WANT STUFF SAID THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE PUBLIC. WE ARE OF THE OPINION EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW. KALEA: EACH SIDE WILL HAVE A 30
Advertisement
Hearing occurs for lawsuit against city of Pittsburgh in Fern Hollow Bridge collapse

The hearing regarding the lawsuit filed against the city of Pittsburgh for the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse occurred on Thursday.

Nearly six months after the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge, several people are continuing to seek information from the city through legal action.Three different cases, involving five individuals, are going to be consolidated into one case moving forward.Watch the report: Click the video player above.The motion for discovery was filed to obtain reports and information from the city that includes inspection reports, maintenance records, contracts, or reports concerning the construction of the bridge. Their attorneys are hoping to find out what entities have had hands on this bridge in the past 11 years.“What we're looking to do with these cases is make sure it doesn't happen again and make sure whoever is responsible for this is held responsible,” attorney Steve Barth said.Barth represents Daryl Luciani and his wife Karen Luciani. Daryl Luciani was behind the wheel of the Port Authority bus that went down with the bridge."It's almost a daily reminder to our clients of what they went through, so with Daryl, the injuries, not just PTSD knowing that something happened like that, that shouldn't have happened,” Barth said.He and three other attorneys went before Judge Ignelzi today, virtually to ask that the city of Pittsburgh share discovery in the collapse investigation. John Doherty, the solicitor for the city of Pittsburgh, did not comment on the investigation outside of that hearing but told the judge a detailed history of the Fern Hollow Bridge is tied up in the NTSB’s investigation. Only the NTSB can release it."We are trying to help the city, because if we can find the contractors that are the ones that caused us because they were the one telling the city something that the city relied on that's all we're trying to do,” Barth said.He said the goal is to identify what entities might be responsible for the damage to the clients’ physical and mental health.A gag order was discussed, but the judge didn’t grant it."I think their concern was that we don't want stuff that might affect the public. We are of the opinion everybody should know,” Barth said.Both sides will have a 30-day period to respond after Thursday's hearing.

Nearly six months after the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge, several people are continuing to seek information from the city through legal action.

Three different cases, involving five individuals, are going to be consolidated into one case moving forward.

Advertisement

Watch the report: Click the video player above.

The motion for discovery was filed to obtain reports and information from the city that includes inspection reports, maintenance records, contracts, or reports concerning the construction of the bridge.

Their attorneys are hoping to find out what entities have had hands on this bridge in the past 11 years.

“What we're looking to do with these cases is make sure it doesn't happen again and make sure whoever is responsible for this is held responsible,” attorney Steve Barth said.

Barth represents Daryl Luciani and his wife Karen Luciani. Daryl Luciani was behind the wheel of the Port Authority bus that went down with the bridge.

"It's almost a daily reminder to our clients of what they went through, so with Daryl, the injuries, not just PTSD knowing that something happened like that, that shouldn't have happened,” Barth said.

He and three other attorneys went before Judge Ignelzi today, virtually to ask that the city of Pittsburgh share discovery in the collapse investigation.

John Doherty, the solicitor for the city of Pittsburgh, did not comment on the investigation outside of that hearing but told the judge a detailed history of the Fern Hollow Bridge is tied up in the NTSB’s investigation. Only the NTSB can release it.

"We are trying to help the city, because if we can find the contractors that are the ones that caused us because they were the one telling the city something that the city relied on that's all we're trying to do,” Barth said.

He said the goal is to identify what entities might be responsible for the damage to the clients’ physical and mental health.

A gag order was discussed, but the judge didn’t grant it.

"I think their concern was that we don't want stuff that might affect the public. We are of the opinion everybody should know,” Barth said.

Both sides will have a 30-day period to respond after Thursday's hearing.