KEYETESVILLE, Mo. — A Chariton County judge has ruled that a series of lawsuits by Amtrak employees over the fatal June 2022 derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief may be combined for a single trial, KMIZ-TV reports.
In a Wednesday hearing, the judge said lawyers for Amtrak, BNSF, MS Contracting — owner of the truck involved in the crash — the employees, and passengers who have brought suit can work together to decide which suits can be combined, based on their similarities. They must report back to the judge within 30 days.
More than a dozen suits have been filed, but Wednesday’s discussion centered only on those filed by Amtrak employees.
Four people — three passengers, and the truck driver — died when the Chief hit the truck at a grade crossing and derailed near Mendon, Mo., on June 27, 2022 [see “Southwest Chief was traveling at 87 mph …,” Trains News Wire, June 29, 2022].
KMIZ reports that a federal judge ruled last week that a lawsuit between Amtrak, BNSF, and MS Contracting would be paused until the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation is completed. The issuance of a final NTSB report can take up to two years.
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