CORAL GABLES, Fla. (Dec. 3, 2012) – Coral Gables-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson filed a wrongful death complaint in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County today on behalf of Migdalia Lopez, the widow of Samuel Perez, against Defendants Ajax Building Corporation, Inc.; M.A.R. Contracting, Inc.; MEP Structural Engineering and Inspections, Inc.; Bliss & Nyitray, Inc. and Haryard Jolly, Inc.
Perez, 53, was one of four construction workers killed after a parking garage that was under construction collapsed on the Doral campus of Miami Dade College on October 10, 2012. He was driving a cement truck at the project site during the time of the collapse. Following the collapse, he was trapped inside the cab of the truck for 17 hours before rescue workers amputated his legs in order to get him out. Perez died three hours later at the hospital of catastrophic injuries caused by the collapse.
The complaint alleges gross negligence, breach of duty and a failure to comply with even the minimal standards required to ensure site safety, construction means and methods, inspection, and follow up, including rushing the operation to meet a deadline. The lawsuit further alleges that the Defendants were well aware of the dangers associated with the construction method and concealed or misrepresented the dangers from Mr. Perez, acting recklessly and in complete disregard for the life, health, and safety of those working on the construction site.
“Through this lawsuit we seek to hold the defendants accountable for the utter gross negligence and reckless conduct that took the life of Samuel Perez,” said counsel for Lopez. “The defendants built a house of cards with a conscious disregard for the dangers associated with the project, and it eventually came tumbling down, killing innocent people and devastating families. This type of outrageous conduct must not be tolerated, and we hope this incident will serve as a reminder of the dangers associated with construction and help to ensure the stability of buildings and the safety of the hardworking people that construct them.”
Perez worked in the construction industry for 20 years after migrating to Miami from Cuba. He was a hardworking dedicated family man and the breadwinner for his wife and stepson. The lawsuit demands judgment against the Defendants for all damages recoverable under the Florida Wrongful Death Act.
***The Plaintiff Migdalia Lopez and her attorney will be speaking at a press conference today, Monday, Dec. 3 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) at the law firm of Colson Hicks Eidson, 255 Alhambra Circle, Penthouse, Coral Gables, FL 33134. Please contact Cindi Perantoni at 305-663-3543 if you plan to attend.
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About Colson Hicks Eidson:
The Law Firm of Colson Hicks Eidson is a trial firm with more than 40 years of experience handling local, national and international litigation. Partners at the firm have had the distinction of holding the following offices: President of the 60,000-member American Association for Justice; President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; President of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; President of the Dade County Bar Association; President of the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers; United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Chairman of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. For more information, call 305-476-7400.
