The jury rendered its verdict Wednesday in a civil trial involving a 2019 deadly crane collapse in Dallas, awarding the plaintiff more than $860 million.
Over the course of nearly three weeks, attorneys from all sides presented evidence to the jury in the matter of the death of 29-year-old Kiersten Smith, per NBC 5.
As The Dallas Express reported, on June 9, 2019, high winds caused a construction crane to collapse into Smith’s apartment building in Old East Dallas. Smith was killed, while five other residents were injured.
Smith’s mother, Michele Williams, later sued Greystar, the real estate developer that had leased the crane. The crane was owned and operated by Bigge Crane and Rigging.
The jury had to decide whether the real estate developer and/or the crane company were negligent in the matter.
Williams’ parents sought compensatory damages of approximately $500 million as well as punitive damages of $12,006. The latter was Smith’s apartment number.
Closing arguments for this case were delivered on April 25. The plaintiff’s legal representative, Jason Itkin, addressed the jury for nearly two hours during his concluding remarks, per NBC 5.
Itkin highlighted the immense emotional suffering the tragedy caused the victim’s family.
As The Dallas Express reported, Williams took the stand on April 20. She told the jury personal stories about her daughter, who was preparing for her wedding before her death.
Itkin also recalled some of the facts of the case surrounding the safety practices and protocols followed by the crane operators, per NBC 5.
An expired inspection on the crane was a significant matter of dispute in the plaintiff’s case. Itkin pointed out that it could have identified loose bolts, rusty bolts, and other issues that could have prevented the tragic incident.
Additionally, Itkin argued that the crane had not been properly “weathervaned” to move with the high winds that day rather than bear the full brunt of them.
As for Greystar and Bigge Crane and Rigging, both parties blamed each other, as well as the crane operator Robert Hilty, per NBC 5.
Ultimately, the jury decided that Greystar alone was guilty of negligence, per NBC 5.
It awarded Smith’s estate $500 million, while Smith’s mother will receive $50 million for loss of companionship, $140 million for mental anguish, $50,012,006 for future mental anguish, and another $100 million.
Smith’s father, James Kirkwood, was awarded $3 million for loss of companionship, $7 million for mental anguish, $4 million for future mental anguish, and an additional $6 million.
“Michele hopes and James hopes that something like this never happens again,” said Itkin after the verdict was delivered, per NBC 5. “There was so many different safety violations, that when you start peeling it back and you wonder, how does this happen at construction sites, especially where sites that are around where people live, where people play, where people eat, where people go to sleep at night?”
Greystar has yet to comment on the verdict.
Bigge Crane and Rigging extended condolences to Smith’s family while reiterating that it had not caused the accident, as relayed by its legal representative, Darrell Barger, per NBC 5.
