US Law Firms to Intervene in Subway’s Lane 12 Collapse

May 3 marked the day when a Mexico City subway overpass collapsed in the borough of Tlahuac, leaving 26 dead and many more injured. While the historic event will leave a mark, its follow-up has been scarce and opaqued by the past elections. Faced with no answers, families of several victims looking for relief have turned to US firms for legal help. 

After the accident, only some of the victims had their funerary expenses covered, and immediate compensations for families amounted to MX$50,000 (US$2,542), as stated by Mexico City’s mayor. The subway’s own insurance amounted to MX$350,000 (US$17,797) but was negotiated to MX$650,000 (US$33,051). One month after the incident, the families of several victims keep pushing for adequate compensation. According to Proceso, families want to see justice prevail by bringing the construction companies involved to court. To bring justice into fruition, they have recurred to US law firms to avoid the barriers put on by Mexican legal processes. The relevant companies are Alstom Transportation, CAF USA, ICA, Carso Infraestructura y Construcción and Alstom México.

These efforts have legal grounds as many of the subway lane’s components were manufactured in the US by companies that are established and operate on the US through branch offices. The Webster Law and Carbino Legal will undertake this challenge, reports Animal Político, with hopes of having little interference from the Mexican legal system and to make the companies involved face legal consequences, while leaving aside the government officials involved. 

As reported by La Jornada, President López Obrador also stated that the federal government will aid the local government in Mexico City to ensure a swift recovery and resume transportation services as swiftly as possible.