Skanska Class Action Alleges Company’s Unpreparedness For Hurricane Sally Led To Pensacola Bay Bridge Closure

Pensacola Bay Bridge Closure Class Action Lawsuit Overview: 

• Who: Northwest Florida commuters have filed a class action lawsuit against Skanska. 
• Why: Commuters claim Skanska was responsible for the Pensacola Bay Bridge being closed for nine months after it was damaged during Hurricane Sally.
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Florida federal court.

Commuters from Northwest Florida have filed a class action lawsuit against Skanska after the Pensacola Bay Bridge was closed for nine months after the state was hit by Hurricane Sally in September 2020. 

Commuters blame Skanska for the bridge’s closure, arguing the company’s construction barges were to blame after they broke free in the hurricane winds, the Pensacola News Journal reports. 

Hundreds of class action complaints have been filed against Skanska in the wake of the hurricane; however, this is the first to seek compensation specifically for commuters. 

Commuters say they were damaged financially by having to take longer routes and pay more in gas since they did not have access to the bridge, their preferred route, reports the Pensacola News Journal Skanska. 

Beach workers also were injured financially due to a decrease in beach traffic on account of the bridge’s closure.

Judge Separately Determined Skanska Negligent For Unpreparedness

A federal judge separately determined Skanska was negligent by not being prepared for the hurricane and denied its request to limit its liability to $1.2 million — the value of its barges, the Pensacola News Journal reports. 

Sam Geisler, an attorney for the commuters, said that while he expects to fight the federal charges, he believes they will ultimately stand. 

Skanska has denied any responsibility for the incident, arguing it did all it could do to be prepared for the hurricane. 

“Skanska remains adamant that it took all appropriate measures with the information available at the time to prepare for the storm,” the company said in a statement. “Immediately following the storm, Skanska put forth its full resources to address the damage as quickly and as safely as possible and reconnect the communities impacted.”

A class action lawsuit involving a bridge was filed against a number of construction firms in 2019 by a cyclist who argued they were responsible for a pedestrian bridge falling apart and injuring dozens in Miami. 

Were you impacted by the closure of the Pensacola Bay Bridge following Hurricane Sally? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiffs are represented by Sam Geisler and Nikki Guntner of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis, & Overholtz. 

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