Case Info
On February 3, 2023, thousands of people were exposed to known carcinogens and toxic chemicals when a train operated by Norfolk Southern Railway derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
The train was carrying 1.2 million pounds of Vinyl Chloride and thousands of pounds of additional toxic chemicals, including ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and butyl acrylate. Attempts by company officials, along with local and state authorities, to manage the hazardous materials after the crash through a “controlled explosion” of damaged rail cars sent plumes of toxic black smoke into the air, likely worsening the contamination. Area residents and animals may have been exposed to high levels of carcinogenic and harmful chemicals and property may be left with severe contamination.
Cuts to Norfolk Southern’s workforce, poor maintenance practices, and a culture of putting profits over people led to a series of train accidents in and around Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, culminating in the February 3 derailment. The train involved in the derailments suffered from a broken axle miles before reaching East Palestine and began overheating, ultimately resulting in the disastrous derailment.
Following the catastrophic train derailment, hundreds of lawsuits were filed against Norfolk Southern for personal injury, property damage and other losses. In April of 2024, Seeger Weiss attorneys were instrumental in reaching a $600 million settlement for residents of the area who were affected by the crash and contamination.