A new lawsuit has been filed against the owners and operators of the Dali ship, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine PTE, in connection to the Key Bridge collapse. Karen Austin and Charles Austin Jr., who own American Publishing LLC, filed the lawsuit because their business was directly impacted by the collapse.
The lawsuit highlights the importance of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to local businesses, emphasizing the interconnected nature of local commerce and infrastructure. The Austins claim that before the bridge collapsed, their business was doing well, but since then, it has been severely affected. They state that their income has declined by 84% in April 2024 compared to the previous year.
The lawsuit seeks to be ruled as a class action, allowing other businesses affected by the bridge collapse to join in the legal action. Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine PTE have already filed to deny all allegations and have asked the court to cap damages.