If you were impacted by the recent Paducah and Louisville Railway derailment in Hardin County as a renter or homeowner, and were forced to pay out of pocket expenses for temporary lodging, you lost income or missed work, had to buy additional medications or supplies, or had your property devalued or contaminated because of the recent Paducah and Louisville Railway derailment and hazardous chemical fire in Hardin County, the Bryant Law Center can discuss your questions and concerns. Our attorneys have investigated large derailments. They know the law. Before you sign any paperwork offered by the railroad, call us today to discuss your rights.
“The Bryant Law Center has represented victims in two Illinois derailments which forced hundreds of people from their homes. Our attorneys know toxic tort law. If you have been forced from your home because a train derailment released toxic, hazardous or explosive chemicals into the air or ground, and have questions or concerns, contact the Bryant Law Center. It is important that you carefully review any quick offers of reimbursement from the railroad because you may be waiving future rights to compensation before you know if you have been exposed to hazardous materials or if your property has been devalued. Understand your rights and contact the Bryant Law Center to discuss your situation. There is no fee unless we recover damages for you. Our phones are answered seven days a week.”
TAMAROA TRAIN DERAILMENT
(PERRY COUNTY ILLINOIS CIRCUIT COURT 03-CR-00291)
Mark Bryant of The Bryant Law Center in Paducah, Ky., in association with Fayard and Honeycutt of New Orleans, La., Edward J. Kionka, of Carbondale, Ill., and JoDee Favre of Belleville, Ill., fought a six year legal battle with the Canadian National Railroad and one of its vendors before reaching a confidential settlement in 2009 on behalf of 475 clients in Tamaroa, Illinois who were displaced by a 2003 derailment and fire.
Twenty-two cars of an Illinois Central freight train derailed in Tamaroa Feb. 9, 2003. Some caught fire and spewed toxic chemicals into the air. The entire town of about 750 people was forced to evacuate, some of them had to leave twice. Businesses and schools had to close. Yards and streets were tainted by chemicals released in the derailment. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that a chemical welding process on a rail caused stress fractures which led to the derailment. Evidence uncovered in the litigation showed employees of Canadian National (which purchased Illinois Central) were previously aware of the rail cracking problems yet continued to make the problematic welds.
Hundreds of Tamaroa residents rejected nominal payment offers from the railroad and refused to sign releases and sought assistance from the Bryant Law Center.
The case was appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court twice, which rejected class action status. The plaintiffs’ team then embarked on the massive task of preparing to go to trial on hundreds of individual cases. Weeks before the first trials were to commence in Perry Circuit Court in Pinckneyville, Illinois, Canadian National agreed to a confidential settlement during mediation.
