BALTIMORE — As the final victim’s family and utility company BGE settled claims with the Dali’s owners Friday over the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, a larger courtroom battle is about to begin: whether the companies behind the ship can avoid billions in liability for one of Maryland’s worst infrastructure disasters.

The agreements mark the latest major resolutions in the sprawling litigation stemming from the March 26, 2024, collapse, when the Singapore-flagged Dali lost power and slammed into a support pier of the bridge, sending workers and tons of steel into the Patapsco River.

With Friday’s filings, all six families of the construction workers killed in the collapse have now settled their claims against Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the ship’s owner, and Synergy Marine Group, its operator. BGE, which suffered infrastructure damage from the collapse, also settled its claims, according to court records and attorneys.

Terms of the settlements are not included in court filings, and attorneys for the victims’ families have called them confidential. BGE, meanwhile, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

William Bennett III, an attorney for Grace Ocean and Synergy, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday on the new settlements.

Broader legal fight looms

The settlements remove some of the most emotionally charged claims from a civil trial scheduled to begin Monday before U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar in Baltimore. But the broader legal fight — involving billions of dollars in potential damages tied to bridge reconstruction, economic losses, and government claims — remains far from over.

Baltimore City and Baltimore County, two major players in the case, have not settled with Grace Ocean and Synergy, according to Friday court filings, which means they will head to court Monday.

At the center of the trial is the question of whether Grace Ocean and Synergy can invoke a centuries-old maritime law to cap their liability at roughly $44 million, the post-casualty value of the Dali and its cargo. Claimants, including government entities and businesses affected by the collapse, argue the companies should face far greater exposure.

Dakarai Turner, a county spokesperson, said the county could not comment on the case due to pending litigation. Baltimore City Solicitor Ebony Thompson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The companies behind the Dali have argued they are entitled to protection under the federal Shipowners’ Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, a law originally designed to protect American shipping interests in the age of wooden sailing vessels.

Maryland officials have estimated that rebuilding costs could exceed $5 billion, while the disaster temporarily shut down one of the nation’s busiest ports and triggered extensive environmental cleanup operations.

The state of Maryland reached a separate $2.25 billion settlement with Grace Ocean and Synergy earlier this month, though officials said claims against shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries remain unresolved.

Federal prosecutors have also escalated pressure on the shipping companies. Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against Synergy-related entities and a technical superintendent tied to the Dali, alleging conspiracy, obstruction, and failures involving maintenance and safety reporting aboard the vessel. Prosecutors alleged that long-standing electrical and mechanical deficiencies contributed to the crash.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators previously concluded that a loose wire aboard the Dali triggered cascading electrical failures that caused the massive vessel to lose propulsion and steering before impact.

Families try to move on

The collapse killed construction workers who were repairing potholes on the bridge overnight. The men came from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. The youngest were in their 20s; the oldest was a 49-year-old grandfather.

The majority of families agreed to settlements Thursday. Law firm Azrael, Franz, Schwab, Lipowitz, and Solter, which represents Rosa Emerita Sandoval Paz, the mother of the final victim, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, confirmed they settled on Friday. The group added that Paz has been “devastated” by her youngest son’s death.

“Losing a child is unbearable, and Rosa remains overcome by grief each day since her son’s tragic death,” the statement said. “Rosa’s devastation only validates the level of anguish a parent endures when a child has been killed.”

Ama Frimpong, chief of services and attorney with We Are CASA, who is representing some of the families, said in a statement that the families of those who lost their lives in the collapse carry “profound grief and trauma.”

“While it is very important that some legal claims have been resolved, the pain these families have endured remains,” Frimpong said. “Their focus will continue to be on rebuilding their lives, healing from trauma, supporting one another, and honoring the memory of their loved ones after a tragedy that forever changed their lives.

Frimpong said that We Are CASA, a Latino and immigration advocacy group, will continue to stand alongside the families “as they seek healing, dignity, and lasting security, and as they navigate the difficult road ahead.”

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