ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s largest mass torts firms and a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, filed the first class action lawsuit against Norfolk Southern, the railroad company operating the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3.
The class action suit on behalf of area residents was filed with the Ohio-based firms Shapero Roloff and Amato Law and seeks to hold the railroad accountable for both chemical exposure and property damage caused by the derailment.
“Through the relentless pursuit of profit over safety, Norfolk Southern upended thousands of lives and exposed tens of thousands to known carcinogens,” said Jayne Conroy, Esq., Shareholder at Simmons Hanly Conroy. “This suit not only seeks to right these wrongs but to ensure the safety of thousands of people immediately and in the long term.”
Attorneys from the firm have made themselves available in person to East Palestine area residents for legal consultation.
In addition to bringing class action litigation, the firm has begun analysis of the nature and extent of environmental contamination and cause of the derailment. Among these efforts, the firm has retained Engineering and Experts Services Group (EES), an independent environmental testing agency which is sampling and analyzing standing and ground water, air, soil, and surfaces for contamination related to the derailment and subsequent chemical fire.
“Residents of East Palestine are being told too many positive things given the uncertainties,” said Stephen Petty, president of EES Group. “We don’t yet know the answer to the question: are there organic compounds here that are toxic?”
These independent investigations are ongoing.
Since its inception, Simmons Hanly Conroy has helped tens of thousands of clients across the country harmed by corporate wrongdoing and recovered billions of dollars in judgements and settlements on their behalf.
About Simmons Hanly Conroy, LLC
Simmons Hanly Conroy, with nearly 250 employees, including 85 attorneys practicing nationwide, is one of the country’s largest plaintiff law firms dedicated to holding corporations responsible for wrongdoing. Primary areas of litigation include mesothelioma and asbestos, pharmaceutical and medical device injuries, consumer protection class actions, environmental injuries and protection, and complex personal injury.
The firm’s attorneys have been appointed to leadership in numerous national multidistrict litigations, including prescription opioids, Vioxx, Toyota unintended acceleration, BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, DePuy Pinnacle and the Volkswagen emission scandal. Since 1999, the firm has secured $10 billion in verdicts and settlements for thousands of clients nationwide and is a major supporter of asbestos-related cancer research. Offices are located in Alton, Ill.; Los Angeles; New York City; San Francisco; and St. Louis.
