CHICAGO — A trio of law firms have filed the latest suit on behalf of a passenger injured in the June 27 derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, with one of the firms saying “the ongoing carelessness” of Amtrak and BNSF is the cause of the accident.
Passenger Marion Stephens will be represented in the suit by attorneys from the Romanucci & Blandin; Cross Law Firm; and Hupy & Abraham.
Amtrak, BNSF, and MS Contracting, owner of the truck that was struck by the train, causing the derailment, were named as defendants. The suit says Stephens, whose hometown was not released, “sustained significant, permanent injuries from which he will never fully recover.”
Attorney Antonio Romanucci of Romanucci & Blandin said in a press release that Amtrak and BNSF, “by placing profits over safety … needlessly put the lives of countless passengers in grave peril.”
It is the latest in a series of suits arising from the accident that killed four people and injured about 150. Several passengers and two Amtrak crew members have named similar defendants in their suit, while Amtrak and BNSF have sued the truck owner, and the widow of the truck driver killed in the accident has sued a BNSF employee and the county where the accident occurred [see “More lawsuits filed …,” Trains News Wire, July 5, 2022].
Ignorance breeds histrionics. [banghead]
Benjamin Turon Your “nice” idea is unrealistic. Far too many grade crossings in the US to upgrade to flashers & gates.. Then someone would want all the private crossings protected as well. How about the driving public take some responsibility for their actions ? Perhaps the RR’s and Amtrak and commuter agencies sue for driver stupidity. Maybe some of the drivers and pedestrians should be sued by the RR’s. PS: retired CXST engineer, Indianapolis.
IIRC, Amtrak and NS did successfully sue the volunteer fire department whose fire truck blocked the private crossing in Catlett, VA and was hit by the “Southern Crescent”.
The attorneys are figuratively circling around the wreck’s site like vultures!
Good luck with that arguement, although in today justice system who knows?
Be nice if somehow we could upgrade the crossings, endless lawsuits are unlikely to accomplish that, although people grievously hurt have a right to compensation.
The attorney is saying that Amtrak placed profits over safety? Maybe someone should tell him that Amtrak has no profits, never has and never will.
It will be that rare case where, if found guilty, the plaintiff will have to pay the defendant.
Sounds like per these attorney’s, the truck had every right to be on the tracks, and it is the responsibility of the terrible train to stop on a dime and let ’em go. It also sounds to me that these attorney’s are putting their profits over the real reason the train derailed in the first place.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there a monetary cap on damages recoverable for wrongful death by airplane? Or is that only international, not domestic flights?
AGREED!!
Only international flights…