EAST PALESTINE, OHIO
TRAIN DERAILMENT

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!

Our attorneys have years of experience in handling Mass Torts and Class Action Lawsuits and will work to get you every dollar available.  Below are the facts of the case as we know them to date.   Working with our partner firm who has a local office in Ohio to help facilitate and process these claims. 

We are seeking plaintiffs in in the highlighted areas directly affected by this horrific event.  If you live in this region and have been affected by this train derailment please click the link below and fill out the form to get the process started. 

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FACTS ABOUT THE CASE

  • On February 3, 2023 at approx. 8:55pm, about 5 cars on a Norfolk Southern Railroad train traveling from Illinois to Pennsylvanian derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
  • 150 train cars had derailed. 50 were affected by the  derailment.
    • 10-20 were listed as carrying hazardous materials (see below).
    • February 6, 2023, crews conducted a “controlled release” of the hazardous chemicals, which caused a large plume of black smoke.
  • The large plumes of smoke prompted officials to issue mandatory evacuation orders in a one-mile radius of the crash site.
    • Evacuation orders were lifted on February 8th.
  • February 9, 2023, Norfolk began running trains through the village again.
  • February 12, 2023, Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) released a list, written by Norfolk Southern, of the toxic chemicals that were in the derailed cars.
  • Some of the toxins spilled into the Ohio River near the northern panhandle of West Virginia, prompting officials to shut down water production in the area and transfer to an alternate source of water supply.
  • February 14, 2023 – Officials told residents to use bottled water until testing could confirm whether the local water supply was safe to drink.
  • Water officials are tracking a large plume of contamination flowing down the Ohio River; about 3,500 fish in local waterways have been killed by the chemical release; and cleanup crews are excavating a “grossly contaminated” 1,000-foot area around the train tracks where butyl acrylate puddled and vinyl chloride burned.
  • Federal investigators have said a mechanical issue probably caused the train to derail near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
  • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) told reporters that Norfolk Southern had committed to paying “for everything” and said the state would hold the rail company responsible.
  • The train was not categorized as a high-hazardous material train, DeWine said, meaning the railroad company wasn’t required to give the state any notification about its passage.
  • There have been a growing number of reports about people experiencing a burning sensation in their eyes, animals falling ill, and a strong odor lingering in the town.

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