Family of construction worker who fell, died on UChicago Hospital site awarded $23.5M

Settlement reached in fatal Chicago construction site fall

The family of the construction worker who fell 140 feet to his death last year when a scaffold at the University of Chicago Hospital failed under high winds will receive $23.5 million in a settlement, attorneys announced.

CHICAGO - The family of the construction worker who fell 140 feet to his death last year when a scaffold at the University of Chicago Hospital failed under high winds will receive $23.5 million in a settlement, attorneys announced.

The backstory:

David O’Donnell, 26, was a technical surveyor at the site of construction for the UChicago Hospital’s new cancer center project in Hyde Park on June 6, 2024, when the scaffolding system failed under a 44 mph gust.

The family of the construction worker who fell 140 feet to his death last year when a scaffold at the University of Chicago Hospital failed under high winds will receive $23.5 million in a settlement, attorneys announced. (Provided by GWC Injury Lawyers, LLC)

He and Jeffrey Spyrka fell more than 140 feet. O’Donnell died from his injuries, and Spyrka was critically injured.

A preliminary investigation found the scaffolding had "serious deficiencies," including structural weakness, the use of improper materials, and a lack of adequate connections at a critical corner of the system. The structure was built to withstand wind gusts of up to 85 mph, but failed under a gust of just 44 mph, attorneys said.

Adjustable Forms, Inc., the company in charge of building the scaffolding, agreed to pay O’Donnell’s estate $23.5 million, exactly one year after his death.

Attorneys for O’Donnell’s estate said the agreement will prevent what was expected to be "protracted and costly litigation."

What they're saying:

In a statement, attorney Louis Anthony Cairo, who represented O'Donnell's family, said:

"Our team has worked diligently over the past year to achieve a prompt and meaningful resolution for the O’Donnell family. The profound loss they have endured following David’s tragic death is truly unimaginable. We sincerely hope that this settlement provides a foundation for healing and allows the family to begin moving forward. We are especially grateful to Judge Budzinski for her dedication and skilled efforts in facilitating this resolution."

What's next:

The attorneys said other lawsuits are ongoing, including claims by Spyrka and nine other ironworkers who were injured during the collapse.