OAN Staff Brook Mallory
6:03pm – Thursday, April 3, 2025
This week marked the beginning of the trial, as two companies contemplated in 2023 whether they would reimburse Norfolk Southern for a $600 million class action settlement related to East Palestine, Ohio.
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Norfolk Southern had previously accepted the settlement payments.
However, the railway companies are now insisting that both businesses contribute to a settlement amounting to several million dollars. GATX Corp. is identified as a railcar lender, while Oxy Vinyls is a prominent chemical manufacturer.
A year prior, the settlement was approved by US District Judge Benita Pearson, along with 27% of attorney fees. She will oversee this examination.
Should the judge rule in favor of Norfolk Southern, the compensation will remain unchanged. Both companies will pay to the railway company, yet the railway company still holds the responsibility for the payment – hill.
“Despite having secured a significant release under a settlement with the Norfolk Southern class, GATX and Oxy Vinyls have not yet made any contributions to that settlement or class,” stated Norfolk Southern’s attorney in a court filing.
“The trial evidence indicates that both GATX and Oxy Vinyls exhibited negligence and that Norfolk Southern deserves their respective contributions.”
In September 2024, News Nation reported that many residents of East Palestine expressed dissatisfaction with the sizable settlement while the EPA raised concerns about managing contamination data.
Jamie Wallace, a local resident during the incident, branded the judge’s ruling as “fake” upon exiting the courtroom. Subsequently, he informed the media that “the streams continue to be contaminated” in the vicinity.News Nation In February.”
“The only notable change is that people’s symptoms have now progressed into chronic illnesses,” she stated, advocating for increased assistance for East Palestine residents impacted by the toxic spill.
Shortly after the disaster, local authorities reportedly incinerated 116,000 gallons of the carcinogenic vinyl chloride to avert an explosion. However, it was later revealed that this action was unnecessary.
“The deliberate burning of railcars containing hazardous chemicals following the crash in East Palestine last year was unneeded to prevent explosions since the railcars had been cooled prior to burning. Cleveland News has reported.
Furthermore, local residents have voiced concerns about illnesses and ongoing challenges linked to the water quality in their neighborhoods. hill.
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