Widow of Key Bridge victim mourns as she prepares lawsuit: "A wound was opened in my heart that will never heal."
BALTIMORE -- As she prepares to file a lawsuit, the widow of Key Bridge collapse victim Miguel Luna spoke emotionally about her husband Tuesday, surrounded by supporters.
Luna was one of six construction workers who died on March 26 after a large container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending it into the Patapsco River below.
Six months later, Maria Del Carmen Castellón is still grieving the death of her husband. She said he was a welder who provided for their family, continuing to work even though it took a toll on his health.
"That day [when the bridge collapsed], a wound was opened in my heart that will never heal," Castellón said through a translator.
She is turning that pain into legal action.
Castellón, along with the families of victims Jose Mynor Lopez and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, are working to sue Grace Ocean Private Ltd, and hold the shipowner liable.
"Fight for justice"
"We fight for justice, not for ourselves, but for all those immigrant families and those essential workers," Castellón said. "We hope that no one else has to suffer in this tragedy like we have and justice means preventing future tragedies."
The families retained Washington-based law firm Gupta Wessler LLP to represent them. Matthew Wessler, a principal at the law firm, said this litigation will only aim to look at whether or not the company can limit its liability in the collapse.
They have until Sept. 24 to file the legal action, according to Gustavo Torres, executive director of the immigrant advocacy nonprofit CASA.
Torres is critical of the ship's owner, which filed to limit its liability to $43 million shortly after the collapse occurred.
"Grace Ocean Private has chosen the path of impunity over the path of justice, [driven] by profit and self-interest," Torres said. "Their action seeks to erase accountability they owe to these families."
Additional Key Bridge collapse lawsuits
The three other victims' families are not part of this lawsuit, but they plan to file another on their own, according to Wessler.
Baltimore City, Baltimore County and numerous businesses have also filed lawsuits against Grace Ocean Private Ltd.
A total of eight men doing road work on the bridge that night fell into the water; two were rescued.
According to an NTSB report, the ship Dali lost power prior to leaving the Port of Baltimore and then again moments before colliding with the bridge.
The Port of Baltimore, which suffered millions of dollars in economic losses, did not fully reopen for 11 weeks.