Norfolk Southern agrees to pay $600 million for Ohio toxic train derailment |

Norfolk Southern agrees to pay $600 million to settle fire-related class action lawsuit train derailment in eastern Ohio in February 2023.

The company said that if the agreement is approved by a court, all class action lawsuits within a 20-mile radius of the derailment will be resolved, and for residents who choose to participate, personal injury lawsuits within a 10-mile radius of the derailment will be resolved. The issue will also be resolved.

The freight train has approximately 50 cars, consisting of approximately 150 cars and three locomotives. Derailment accident on the outskirts of East Palestine, there were several vehicles transporting hazardous materials near the Pennsylvania state line. Of the town's approximately 4,800 to 4,900 residents, 1,500 to 2,000 were evacuated.

Norfolk South officials said Tuesday that individuals and businesses will now be able to use compensation from the settlement in any way they deem appropriate to address the potential negative impact of the derailment, including medical needs, property restoration and net business operations. It was announced that it may include compensation for losses. Individuals within 10 miles of a derailment may, at their discretion, elect to obtain additional compensation for past, present, or future personal injuries resulting from a derailment.

The company said the settlement does not include or constitute an admission of liability, wrongdoing or negligence.

The proposed settlement will be submitted to the United States District Court for the Northern District for preliminary approval. Ohio Subject to final court approval, payments to class participants under the settlement may begin by the end of the year.

Norfolk Southern has already spent more than $1.1 billion responding to the derailment, including more than $104 million in direct aid to East Palestine and its residents.With Norfolk South paying for the cleanup, Joe Biden We have never declared a disaster. That's the sad point in East Palestine. many residents. The railroad has promised to establish a fund to cover the long-term medical needs of the community, but that has yet to happen.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs said the agreement is the result of a year-long intensive investigation into the derailment and should provide meaningful relief to residents.

“This resolution comes shortly after the one-year anniversary of the disaster, and all affected residents, property owners, employees, and those who live, own, or have a legal interest in property, work, “It provides significant compensation to any company that owns or operates a business for derailment and chemical release damages,” said Seth, Burg Simpson Eldridge Hirsch & Jardine, PC. A. Katz said.

Federal officials said last week that the aftermath of the train derailment does not constitute a public health emergency because no widespread health problems or ongoing chemical exposures have been documented.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) never approved the designation after the February 2023 South Norfolk derailment, even though the disaster forced the evacuation of half of East Palestine's towns. created a lot of fear About the long-term health effects of spilled or burned chemicals. Contamination concerns were further exacerbated by the decision to blow up five tank cars filled with vinyl chloride and burn their toxic chemicals three days after the derailment.

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently announced that the agency's investigation into the venting and combustion of vinyl chloride was due to the companies that manufactured the chemicals being confident that no dangerous chemical reactions were occurring inside the tank cars. said that it had been shown that it was not necessary. But officials who made the decision say they were never told that.

The NTSB's full investigation into the cause of the derailment is not expected to be completed until June, but the agency said Said It is believed that the collision may have been caused by a wheel bearing on one of the rail cars overheating and not being detected by trackside sensors.

The EPA said the cleanup in East Palestine is expected to be completed later this year.

Shares of Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern Corp. were down about 1.3% before Tuesday's opening bell.