Lawsuits in fatal 2014 Center City balcony collapse settle for $1.23 million

More than 21/2 years after the fourth-floor balcony of a Center City apartment collapsed, killing one man and seriously injuring two women, the final piece of a $1.23 million award for the victims has been approved.

The June 27 approval of a $610,000 award for the parents of the late Albert Suh by Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Administrative Judge Matthew D. Carrafiello ended litigation involving the Jan. 12, 2014, collapse at 229 S. 22nd St.

The approval was one day before Mayor Kenney signed legislation approved June 16 by City Council requiring property owners to have outside balconies and fire escapes inspected and tested by an engineer every five years.

"I'm glad this finally happened," said lawyer Dominic Guerrini, a partner at Kline & Specter P.C., which represented John and Helen Suh, whose 22-year-old son was killed in the collapse, and his roommate Laura O'Brien, who was severely injured.

Guerrini said the Suhs were especially concerned that some form of mandated inspections result from their son's death.

According to Philadelphia court documents, in November, the Suhs, O'Brien, and the other injured woman, Nancy Chen, reached a $1.23 million "global settlement" of their lawsuits against Alex Khorram and Khorram Group, who owned and operated the six-unit apartment building.

Since then, an arbitrator selected by the parties has been analyzing how best to divide the settlement.

Guerrini said the settlements for O'Brien and Chen, who was represented by Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky P.C., were confidential.

Court documents show that the Suhs were awarded a total of $610,000 from the $1.23 million. The parents received $385,507, with $224,493 going to Kline & Specter for legal fees and costs.

Suh, O'Brien, and Chen shared the fourth-floor, three-bedroom unit on 22nd Street near Locust and on Jan. 12 were hosting a birthday party.

About midnight, the three went out onto a balcony that led to a fire escape. Several minutes later, the balcony platform separated from the building and pitched the three about 40 feet to an alley.

Suh, a recent Penn State graduate working as a financial analyst for JPMorgan Chase & Co., fell headfirst and never regained consciousness.

O'Brien, now 25, a city kindergarten teacher, broke a vertebra that required spinal fusion, and sustained severe cuts and scrapes.

Chen, 26, a program manager at Asian Arts Institute, broke two vertebrae requiring two spinal fusions, her pelvis, and an ankle.

Testifying June 9 before City Council's Committee on Licenses and Inspections, Chen urged members to pass the legislation on balcony and fire-escape inspections.

Chen broke down as she recalled the night of the collapse: "This was a tragic accident that none of us could have reasonably expected to occur."

Councilman Curtis Jones Jr., who introduced the bill, told Chen: "This . . . is why we come to work. We can't go back in time and change your experience, but we can go forward in time to make sure no one else has to go through this tragedy."

jslobodzian@phillynews.com

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