Attorneys of train derailment case file for approval of $600 million settlement

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit arising from last year’s train derailment in East Palestine filed for preliminary approval of a $600 million settlement on Friday.

The co-lead counsel filed a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement with Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Norfolk recently agreed to the $600 million settlement if approved by the court. They said it would resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius of the derailment and, for residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius of the derailment.

The filings presented on Friday outlined the terms of the settlement agreement, a plan for notifying the community of the available funds, and a proposed process for reviewing claims from individuals and businesses to determine the amount of each individual award, according to a press release.

The co-lead counsel said this was an important step towards a historic agreement to compensate those affected and hold Norfolk Southern accountable.

For those who work and live in the area, it’s been months of mediation but residents are hopeful that the case is moving in the right direction and they are one step closer to receiving funds.

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