Chris Aitken, the attorney for one of the workers, Buena Park resident James "Chip" Chaffee, who suffered a brain injury, said a Riverside County Superior Court judge approved the settlement deal on Wednesday, March 9.
Chaffee, 56, said he recalls what he was doing five minutes before the accident but not the collapse. Chaffee will receive slightly more than $5 million, according to Aitken.
Chaffee stated that he cannot bend over or walk long distances without the use of a cane. He also struggles with emotional control.
In an interview, Chaffee stated, "I'd still like to be working." "You can have all that money back if you put me back to work, but that's not going to happen."
Parsons Corporation, Caltrans, Walsh Construction Group, Clark Construction Group, Sequoia Consultants, Southstar Engineering, Simkins Corporation, HNTB Corporation, and one other whose identity was withheld were the defendants. The defendants agreed not to admit liability as part of the agreement.
No one at Parsons, which Aitken described as the project's lead construction firm, could be reached for comment.
"Caltrans ultimately had little direct involvement in the litigation or settlement," said Caltrans spokeswoman Terri Kasinga.
She stated that Caltrans' portion was covered by insurance.
On Oct. 9, 2015, around 10:45 p.m., wooden supports and jacks used to lower the bridge over East Grand Boulevard gave way, causing a concrete slab to drop 16 inches.
According to engineering reports, the day after the bridge collapse, workers punched through the vent holes and released 12 to 25 tons of water from the bridge. Although it had recently rained, an engineer stated that there had to be additional sources of water.
Aitken claimed that supervisors failed to inspect and weigh the bridge. The contractors used manual jacks when computerized jacks could have compensated for imbalances on one side or the other.
"Those two factors contributed to a major construction disaster that harmed families for the rest of their lives," Aitken explained in an interview.
Chaffee had been a carpenter for 30 years, assisting in the construction of hundreds of bridges, and was employed by Walsh Construction at the time of the collapse. He claimed to have been hit on the head and thrown 40 feet from the scaffolding. According to Aitken, some workers landed on wood piles.
Chaffee was sedated for seven days before being brought out of a coma.
Julie Chaffee, his wife of 56 years, said they are relieved that the depositions, court filings, and negotiations are over.
"So many of them (victims) had to go through so much more," she said. "It may not be the best life, but at least they can put all of this drama behind them."
James Chaffee stated that he is simply attempting to adapt.
"I actually just bought a house in Arkansas on a lake, and I'm going to get another boat and just fish my years away," he explained.