Partners Jayne Conroy and Jo Anna Pollock worked to provide swift, meaningful restitution to those impacted by the disaster.
ALTON, Ill. and NEW YORK — Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s leading mass tort litigation firms dedicated to holding corporations responsible for wrongdoing, today announced a $600 million settlement with Norfolk Southern Corporation.
This settlement is a result of the class action lawsuit, Feezle et al v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co. et al, focusing on the aftermath of the catastrophic train derailment and chemical fires in East Palestine in February 2023.
“A little over one-year after the derailment in East Palestine, Norfolk Southern has agreed to resolve the litigation via a class action settlement,” said Jayne Conroy, co-lead and interim class counsel in the case. “The derailment and subsequent fire never should have happened, but the upcoming months will bring financial compensation to those impacted, as outlined in the recent settlement.”
The settlement agreement will resolve claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment. Individuals and businesses will be able to use compensation from the settlement in any manner they see fit to address potential adverse impacts from the derailment.
Individual awards will vary based on several criteria, including proximity to the event and specific losses, among other things.
In addition, individuals within 10-miles of the derailment may, at their discretion, choose to receive additional compensation for any past, current, or future personal injury from the derailment.
“We’ve worked hard on behalf of the residents, homeowners, businesses and employees who have experienced a life-changing event that has forever changed the community,” said Jo Anna Pollock, chair of the Science Committee in the case.
Since its inception, Simmons Hanly Conroy has successfully helped thousands of clients across the country harmed by corporate wrongdoing.
