Norfolk Southern agreed Tuesday to pay $600 million to settle a class action lawsuit related to the February 2023 toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Associated Press report The company says that if the agreement is approved by a court, all class action claims within a 20-mile radius of the derailment will be resolved, and for residents who choose to participate, no personal injury within a 16-mile radius of the fire incident will be resolved. He said the injury claim would be resolved. . The report continued:
Norfolk Southern said that individuals and businesses will be able to use compensation from the settlement in any way they see fit to address the potential negative effects of the derailment, including medical needs, property restoration, net It added that this could include compensation for business losses.
Individuals who were within 10 miles of the derailment may, at their discretion, elect to obtain additional compensation for past, present, or future personal injuries resulting from the derailment.
The company clarified that the settlement does not include or constitute an admission of liability, wrongdoing, or negligence.
The company plans to apply for preliminary approval in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in late April 2024, The Associated Press reported.
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Further payments to class participants could begin before the end of the year, subject to final court approval.
Norfolk Southern Bus says it 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. .
