A judge approved a $106 million settlement on Thursday, bringing closure to a years-long legal battle over the deadly 2019 collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel under construction in New Orleans. The 18-story structure partially collapsed in October 2019, resulting in three fatalities and significant damage to surrounding properties. While a grand jury ultimately declined to indict anyone criminally, extensive civil litigation followed.
Lawsuits were filed against the building owners, their development partners, and various contractors involved in the project. The city of New Orleans initiated legal action in August 2020. These separate claims were subsequently consolidated into a single case involving 490 plaintiffs—including injured construction workers and affected local businesses—against 21 defendants, according to Mark Glago, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs.
Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Kern Reese formally approved the combined $106 million settlement on Thursday. The funds will be distributed by a court-appointed special master. "This will be an honor to, you know, these claimants that have been through so much," Glago stated. "We are very, very happy with this $106 million." The case had been pending for more than six years.
Sources: theguardian.com
The words in bold are from the article.
| 1. bringing closure | a. merged |
| 2. fatalities | b. started |
| 3. initiated | c. officially |
| 4. consolidated | d. afterwards |
| 5. pending | e. ongoing |
| 6. subsequently | f. builders |
| 7. formally | g. concluding |
| 8. appointed | h. deaths |
| 9. construction workers | i. legal proceedings |
| 10. litigation | j. selected |
1.g 2.h 3.b 4.a 5.e 6.d 7.c 8.j 9.f 10.i