Ronald Sherr’s Role in Historical Tropicana Garage Collapse Case

Ask any attorney about the cases of their career that touched them most and they won’t need to think for long – even if it’s been years or decades since those cases have been resolved. We ultimately began our career hoping to make a difference and practice law based on the principals of fairness and justice; when we’re afforded the opportunity to achieve these goals on a large scale, we don’t forget it easily.

These cases are often noteworthy to the public as well: they are local, have been widely publicized, or have affected many community members. Ronald Sherr remembers one such case from over a decade ago; the settlement of said case has been called one of the largest settlements in a construction accident in American history. Four construction workers lost their lives and twenty more were injured in the accident when five stories of parking garage collapsed at Tropicana casino and Resort in Atlantic City. The collapse occurred on October 30, 2003 during renovation of the casino and parking structure. 

The construction workers present at the time of the collapse fought through a chaotic scene of rubble and debris to find fellow union members and get to safety. It’s a day many of the workers will never forget, and that rings especially true for the twenty injured construction workers and the families of the four workers who lost their lives that day. 

Ronald Sherr Oversaw the Tropicana Garage Collapse Case

Judge Ronald Sherr took several months over the summer of 2007 to adjudicate this case. After pouring over countless pieces of data and hearing weeks of testimony, it was clear to Ronald that the individuals who lived through that terrible day – and the families of those who didn’t – were entitled to compensation. 

In the end, this case settled for a total of $101 million. It included about $82.5 million in cash, $2 million in previously settled cases, over $8 million in workers’ compensation payments to victims that will not have to be repaid, and more than $8 million in future medical expenses. Michael Maggiano, attorney for the Plaintiffs, thanked Judge Sherr personally at the conclusion of the case:

“Thank you for the attention you gave our cases, the wisdom of your questions and observations shared to each plaintiff, your dedication to the Herculean task of digesting volumes of data and hearing weeks of testimony in order to conclude this historical case in a just and fair manner.”

Click here to read the full article describing this case’s resolution.