East Palestine residents may wait years for payments due to appeal of settlement

[KARAH RUCKER]

EAST PALESTINE RESIDENTS MAY HAVE TO WAIT UP TO TWO YEARS BEFORE GETTING PAID BY NORFOLK SOUTHERN FOR A DISASTROUS TRAIN DERAILMENT LAST YEAR.

SETTLEMENT CHECKS WERE SUPPOSED TO GO OUT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR BUT THAT WON’T HAPPEN BECAUSE OF AN APPEAL BY ONE OF THE PLAINTIFF’S LAST WEEK. THE APPEAL CHALLENGES WHETHER A FEDERAL JUDGE’S DECISION TO APPROVE A MORE THAN 600 MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT GAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EAST PALESTINIANS.

SOME RESIDENTS EXPRESSED OUTRAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER THE APPEAL BY A LOCAL PASTOR BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THOSE PAYMENTS TO MOVE OUT OF TOWN.

WHILE OTHERS SAID THEY HAVE DEEPER CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHEMICALS THEY WERE EXPOSED TO FROM THE RAIL DISASTER– DEMANDING THE PLAINTIFFS LAWYERS REVEAL WHAT THEIR EXPERT FOUND WHEN HE TESTED FOR ANY LINGERING CONTAMINATION. 

NOW AN APPEALS COURT WILL DETERMINE IF THE DEAL OFFERS ENOUGH MONEY TO RESIDENTS AND IF ENOUGH INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO RESIDENTS.

THE PLAINTIFFS’ ATTORNEYS VOWED MONDAY TO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR “POWER” TO “QUICKLY RESOLVE THIS APPEAL.” ADDING, “IT IS TRAGIC THAT ONE PERSON IS SUBSTITUTING THEIR JUDGMENT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHO WANTS THIS SETTLEMENT, AND INSTEAD OF OPTING OUT, THEY HAVE GONE THIS ROUTE.”

LAWYERS SAY IT’S LIKELY THE PAYMENTS WILL BE DELAYED SIX TO 12 MONTHS BUT SAY IT MAY BE LONGER IF THE CASE REACHES THE U-S SUPREME COURT OR IS SENT BACK TO FEDERAL COURT. 

THE SETTLEMENT OFFERS PAYMENTS OF UP TO 70-THOUSAND DOLLAR PER HOUSEHOLD AND UP TO 25 THOUSAND PER INDIVIDUAL. THE FUNDS ARE MEANT TO COVER HEALTH ISSUES AND PROPERTY DAMAGE IN THE COMMUNITY. 

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.