Lawyers negotiate confidential settlement for Key Bridge collapse victim’s estate.
Negotiations continue in Baltimore over a confidential settlement for the family of Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, one of six construction workers killed when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River in March 2024. Behind the doors of a federal courthouse, attorneys representing Castillo Cabrera’s estate and the parties connected to the cargo ship Dali spent the day working toward an agreement. The discussions were closed to the public and media, a standard practice when sensitive legal negotiations are in progress.
Castillo Cabrera’s story captured widespread sympathy. He had come to Maryland from Guatemala with hopes of building a more stable life and sending support to his mother. At just 26 years old, he was part of a road crew filling potholes on the Key Bridge before sunrise when tragedy struck. Traffic cameras later showed the crew at work moments before the Dali struck the bridge’s support structure, causing it to crumble. When divers searched the wreckage, Castillo Cabrera was found inside his red truck, submerged beneath 25 feet of water.
His funeral drew a large crowd at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Baltimore, where friends, co-workers, and community members gathered to mourn. Those who knew him remembered his steady presence and close friendship with another worker, Jose Maynor Lopez, who also died in the collapse. Lopez’s widow told reporters last year that the two men were always together, bonded by shared roots and similar dreams of helping their families back home.
According to court filings, Castillo Cabrera’s estate may become the first among the victims to reach a financial settlement. Maritime attorney and University of Maryland law professor Allen Black, who is not involved in the case, explained that compensation decisions are rarely straightforward. He noted that damages in such cases must be tied to measurable factors, including pain, suffering, and emotional distress. Judges, he said, often face difficult questions about how to translate a human life into a financial figure.
Black also pointed out that certain personal details can affect settlement amounts. Because Castillo Cabrera was unmarried and had no children, any compensation would focus solely on his pain and suffering rather than loss of income for dependents. “It is always tragic,” Black said, “but in legal terms, the calculation becomes simpler.”
The Dali’s owner, Grace Ocean Limited, and its management company, Synergy Marine, have both sought to limit their total financial exposure to roughly $43.7 million, which represents the ship’s value and cargo combined. A federal judge will decide whether that limitation stands or is lifted—a ruling expected next year. If the cap remains in place, compensation will be divided among victims and claimants. If it is lifted, the pool of available funds could expand significantly.
Maryland officials recently filed a motion challenging Synergy Marine’s request for limited liability, arguing that the company’s own actions may have contributed to the disaster. Should the court agree, Synergy could face separate negligence claims and be required to access broader insurance coverage to pay damages. Black suggested that such a decision could open “a much larger pot of money” for victims’ families.
Legal experts believe it makes sense for individual settlements to move forward while broader liability questions remain unresolved. Each case represents a family still grappling with grief and waiting for closure. For Castillo Cabrera’s relatives, the confidential negotiations represent both a legal step and a personal milestone—a sign that the long process of honoring his memory and securing justice is finally underway.
The outcome may not be known for some time, as both sides decide whether to make any final agreement public. But behind the sealed courtroom doors, the effort continues to reach a number that can never replace a life, only recognize the weight of what was lost when the Key Bridge fell.
Sources:
Confidential settlement talks underway for construction worker killed in Key Bridge collapse
SUN: Victims of Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse to enter settlement talks with Dali owners
Join the conversation!