Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Injures 10, 4 Requiring Hospitalization
February 1, 2022
A sudden bridge collapse in Pittsburgh, PA injured 10 commuters and first responders, four of which required hospitalization for their injuries. Continue reading to find out what happened and how a tragedy like this could have occurred.
What Happened
The Forbes Avenue Bridge, a major thruway in Pittsburgh, suddenly collapsed Friday, January 28, 2022, around 6:30 in the morning. There was one bus and four passenger cars on the bridge when it collapsed, however, emergency personnel easily estimated there would have been hundreds of vehicles involved had the collapse occurred during rush hour.
Tyrone and Velva Perry, two PA residents, were injured in the devastating collapse. According to their daughter, Erin Perry, her parents’ truck fell to the bottom of the ravine and then had a car barreling toward them before it flipped over and crashed. The Perry couple fractured their vertebrae and had to wait over an hour before being rescued and transported to the hospital.
The collapse happened just hours before President Biden was set to arrive in Pennsylvania to give a speech about infrastructure.
What Caused the Collapse?
As of publication, there is no official word of what caused the bridge collapse, however, according to a spreadsheet provided by the state’s Department of Transportation’s website, the bridge’s condition was ranked as “poor” dating as far back as 2019. This rating was directly in response to the bridge’s deck and superstructure.
This startling ranking is forcing people to have a conversation about the other bridges in the area. The city of Pittsburgh has over 400 bridges, making the possibility of something like this happening again a reality if proactive steps aren’t taken. According to Jonathan Shimko, a former president of the Pittsburgh branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the collapse was most likely the result of years of prolonged maintenance. Per Shimko, because of the “out-of-sight, out-of-mind nature of infrastructure, [bridges] typically don’t get a lot of attention until something catastrophic like this happens.”
The Forbes Avenue Bridge collapse not only caused injuries to those involved in the wreckage but exposed all of them to harsh weather conditions, many of which were the reason why they were taken to the hospital. If you or someone you know was involved in the Forbes Avenue bridge collapse, contact the personal injury lawyers at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. for a consultation.
Contact A Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer To Discuss Your Bridge Collapse Case In Pennsylvania
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to the Forbes Avenue bridge collapse in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. represent clients injured because of bridge collapse accidents in Pittsburgh and the surrounding Western PA counties. Call (412) 766-1455 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 3634 California Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Home visits can be arranged in certain situations.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
