ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The family of a sewer worker who died in St. Paul has reached a confidential settlement in their wrongful death lawsuit against the city and consultants on the project.
Joe Harlow's family had sued the City of St. Paul and Charles Nelson Associates (CNA), the consulting engineers on the sewer project.
Harlow and another sewer worker, Dave Yasis, died in July of 2007 after getting caught beneath St. Paul's city streets during a heavy rain storm while working on a sewer restoration project. Their bodies were recovered in the Mississippi River while six other workers made it out safely.
Terms of the amount of the settlement will not be made public as of part of the agreement in terms of the settlement according to attorney Harry Sieben.
"The tragedy is terrible, unimaginable and it'll never be forgotten and this is a small part. It won't make it better, but at least this part is over," Sieben told reporters.
"The family thinks that the parties to this lawsuit were very fair to them," he added.
St. Paul's City Attorney says the city will not contribute any money to the settlement, nor will it be part of the final agreement. John Choi said the city's contract with CNA absolves the city, placing any liability with the engineering firm.
Sieben, who is also representing the family of Yasis, said he will likely file a wrongful death suit on behalf of Yasis' family in the very near future.
The construction firm Harlow and Yasis worked for, Lametti & Sons construction firm, was considered a third party in the wrongful death lawsuit but was not a part of Monday's settlement, according to Sieben.
Harlow's family was not present at court Monday and told KARE 11 they did not want to comment on the settlement at this time.
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