A judge approved a $106 million settlement on Thursday, concluding a legal battle over the 2019 collapse of a Hard Rock Hotel construction project in New Orleans that killed three people. The settlement includes 490 plaintiffs and 21 defendants.
The settlement provides financial resolution for victims and affected parties following a catastrophic construction failure, closing a chapter on a prolonged legal battle and acknowledging the significant human and economic toll of the collapse.
A judge has approved a $106 million settlement that concludes a lengthy legal dispute over the deadly 2019 collapse of a Hard Rock Hotel under construction in New Orleans. The 18-story project partially collapsed in October 2019, resulting in three fatalities and damage to surrounding properties.
Although a grand jury declined to indict any individuals, numerous lawsuits were subsequently filed. These included a suit initiated by the city of New Orleans in August 2020, naming the building's owners, their partners, and contractors as defendants. The consolidated case encompassed 490 plaintiffs, comprising injured workers and affected businesses, suing 21 defendants.
Orleans parish civil district court judge Kern Reese gave his approval to the $106 million settlement on Thursday. Mark Glago, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, noting the significant hardship endured by the claimants. The settlement funds are slated for distribution by a special master.