FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When the Royal Park Bridge in West Palm Beach opened beneath Carol Wright in February, the frightening plummet to her death left behind more than a void in the lives of her loved ones. She left behind a legacy — one of increased safety measures and access to opportunity.
The attorney representing Wright’s family, Lance Ivey, announced on Friday that the wrongful death lawsuit was settled for $8.3 million and extensive safety changes for drawbridge operators.
Florida Drawbridges Inc., the corporation responsible for managing the Royal Park Bridge where Wright lost her life, agreed to begin conducting criminal background checks on all bridge tenders beginning this month. The corporation also agreed to schedule recertification trainings for all of its bridge tenders, rotate the audits it conducts with out-of-area supervisors for quality assurance, and require all bridge tenders watch a 23-minute video on Wright’s life and death.
