PENSACOLA, Fla. — The legal battles continue over damage caused by Skanska barges during Hurricane Sally.
The company tasked with building the Three Mile Bridge appealed a federal judge’s decision that would allow those who saw damage from their barges to sue them in state court.
Attorney’s from three different local law firm’s presented oral arguments this week to the 11th district court of appeals in Georgia.
They say lawsuits can’t move forward until a decision is made by appellate judges.
“If we get the order we want out of the appeal, what we are hoping is it will open up the state courts and we can start trying these cases to a jury,” Levin Papantonio Rafferty Law Firm Attorney Brian Barr said. “That’s really what we want at the end of the day. We want to be able to put these facts in front of an Escambia County jury and let a jury decide what our clients damages are.”
“I think it’s very important that there are people fighting for the interests of our community and we are doing our best to do that,” Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz Law Firm Attorney Nikki Gunter said. “I think we’ve fought very [hard] sic so far and we are not done.”
Skanska is also trying to appeal a lower court ruling involving evidence that was destroyed — which could’ve been relevant to claims made against them.
It could be months before the appeals court issues a decision.