Economy

Date: 02/05/25 22:29
Lawsuit Alleges Derailment Led to 7 Deaths
Author: pt199

A wrongful death lawsuit recently filed in an Ohio Court in Columbus alleges that seven deaths, including a week-old infant, can be attributed to the release of toxic chemicals following a derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine on Feb. 3, 2023.
The suit was filed by 744 current and former East Palestine residents and accuses NS of negligence, nuisance and civil conspiracy.

The suit announced this past Monday names Norfolk Southern, railcar leasing companies GATX and Trinity Industries, the Association of American Railroads, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among dozens of defendants.
The other defendants include the Village of East Palestine and its police and fire departments, various companies that engaged in cleanup of the derailment and chemicals, and medical organizations.

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Lawsuit blames deaths on toxic East Palestine train derailment

pittsburgh
Updated on: February 3, 2025 / 6:13 PM EST / CBS/AP

A lawsuit alleging for the first time that people died because of the disastrous 2023 East Palestine train derailment was announced on Monday's second anniversary of the toxic crash near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border amid a flurry of new litigation.

On Monday, Vice President JD Vance visited the small community he used to represent as a senator and toured the cleanup with President Donald Trump's newly confirmed head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and other dignitaries. He told a gathering of first responders and local elected officials that the town "will not be forgotten, will not be left behind." Vance was a fledgling U.S. senator for Ohio when the fiery train accident took place. ... "You can be damn sure that over the next six months, you're gonna hear a lot from the vice president and president and the entire administration if Norfolk Southern doesn't keep these promises. We are going to talk about it and we are going to fight for it," Vance said.

Outside the event, a group of protesters held signs declaring, "Stop the Cover Up," "Justice for East Palestine" and "We are Still Sick." Vance pledged during his remarks that the Republican administration will be transparent about the clean-up progress. ... Resident Misti Allison said she hopes Vance pays attention to more than just the business leaders he met with who are concerned about economic development. She said health issues have been downplayed ever since the derailment. ... "Families deserve to understand the long-term health implications. They deserve to have a massive effort made in preparation to safeguard not just their futures, but those of their children," Allison said.

Baby among 7 wrongful death claims filed

The newly filed lawsuit contains the first seven wrongful death claims filed against Norfolk Southern railroad — including the death of a 1-week-old baby. It also alleges the railroad and its contractors botched the cleanup while officials at the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on it and failed to adequately warn residents about the health risks. Many of the other parties in the lawsuit cite lingering, unexplained health problems along with concerns something more serious could develop. ... "Our clients want truth. They want transparency," attorney Kristina Baehr said about the roughly 750 people she represents. "They want to know what they were exposed to, which has been hidden from them. They want to know what happened and why it happened. And they want accountability."

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