Dallas Cowboys Give Injured Employees $34 Million

The two workers seriously injured in the Dallas Cowboys practice structure collapse last May will receive $34 million from two different companies that were affiliated with the property that blew down. Both companies, Blue Star Development Co. and Cowboys Center Ltd., are owned by Jerry Jones.
The accident took place in the spring of 2009, in Irving, Texas, when a windstorm blew down a structure where the Cowboys were practicing for the new season. The collapsed structure paralyzed scouting assistant Richard Behm and broke the neck of special teams coach Joe DeCamillis. Both men are still employed by the Dallas Cowboys. Behm and his family will receive $24 million from the Cowboys, while DeCamillis and his family will receive almost ten million dollars.
A settlement was reached against the manufacturer of the building, which has faced a number of similar lawsuits in the past when other structures they built collapsed under similar conditions. The details of that settlement, with Summit Structures L.L.C. of Allentown, Pa., and its parent, Cover-All Building Systems Inc., have remained private.
The law firm that represented Behm and DeCamillis said that their clients are doing well under the circumstances and that the settlements will help them move forward and bring closure after the tragic accident. He also said that the Cowboys have treated the two men like family, both before and after their accident and injuries.