Attorneys lay out plans for lawsuit following Fern Hollow Bridge collapse

PITTSBURGH — During a news conference on Friday, victims of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse announced they will take legal action.

On Friday, attorneys laid out plans for a forthcoming lawsuit involving the City of Pittsburgh, PennDOT, and the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

Velva and Tyrone Perry, 69, were driving across the Fern Hollow Bridge to care for an elderly loved one on the morning of Jan. 28 when the bridge collapsed. Their red pickup truck was shown in aerial photos taken from the day of the collapse.

Initial reports indicated that all 10 passengers on the bridge that morning had suffered minor injuries; however, Erin Perry, daughter of Velva and Tyrone, shared that her parents have limited mobility.

“My mother has two fractures, and my father has one that is very severe,” said Perry.

Adding that the road to recovery will be a long one, “They both are in hard-shell back braces and have to wear them whenever they move,” said Perry.

The Perrys are represented by Pittsburgh attorneys Paul Ellis, of the Law Office of Ellis & Associates, and CJ Engel and Alan Perer of the law firm Swensen & Perer.

The Perrys’ attorneys declared this tragedy was avoidable.

“This was not a random accident. It was a catastrophe, and it was foreseeable,” said Ellis.

Ellis and Engel said someone must be held accountable.

“The collapse was a complete failure of governmental responsibility for public safety and to the Perrys,” said Ellis.

Engel laid out the goal of the forthcoming lawsuit, saying that the goal is to find out how (the accident) happened, who is responsible and to bring some closure to their clients.

They had to watch helplessly as cars were sliding down the bridge toward them,” said Engel.

Target 11: Fern Hollow Bridge warning signs were there five years ago

Perry said her parents clung to one another and their faith that morning.

“They are both in very positive spirits, they are entirely grateful to be alive,” she said. She hopes no family will experience what hers has gone through.

“The experience has not stopped, it’s told again and again,” said Perry.

Attorneys for the family said they have begun their independent investigation of the bridge collapse and have contacted structural engineers.

“Our preliminary investigation has relieved that the bridge has been in poor condition for many years and that this was known to the city and PennDOT,” said Ellis.

When asked about why the Port Authority of Allegheny County was included in the notices, lawyers alluded to certain driving limitations put in place.

“A weight limit was placed on the bridge because of its deteriorating condition,” continued Ellis.

It is unclear when a formal lawsuit will be filed, but attorneys representing the family said they could not wait and allow their clients to suffer.

“The road to recovery is long and it has not been determined how long it will take for them to heal,” Ellis said.

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