Residents who wish to submit a claim form to participate in the $600 million settlement with Norfolk Southern can now do so at another location in the village. A second claims center has opened on West Main Street next to the Rite Aid pharmacy. The other claims center is located at 191 E. Rebecca Street at the former site of the Norfolk Southern Family Assistance Center (FAC). The FAC moved to the Norfolk Southern Field Office on N. Main Street before the summer. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)
EAST PALESTINE – Residents seeking compensation from the $600 million settlement with Norfolk Southern for damages caused by last year’s train derailment can now do so at two locations in the village.
A second claims center is now open at 79 West Main Street in the former Dailey Chiropractic building next to the Rite Aid pharmacy. The location at 191 Rebecca Street also remains open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Class members – those who lived, worked, owned property, or owned or operated a business within 20 miles of the derailment site between February 3, 2023, and April 26, 2024 – have until August 22 at 11:59 p.m. to file a claim.
Residents can make a claim for direct damage (property damage). The direct damage is estimated at up to $70,000 (for people within a three-kilometer radius “Ground Zero”) and is awarded per household. Compensation depends on the location of your home, the size and composition of the household, the area of the property, the duration of the derailment, and the property damage, among other factors. The average expected compensation decreases with distance – 0-2 miles from the derailment ($70,000), 2-4 miles ($45,000), 4-7 miles ($30,000), 7-10 miles ($15,000), 10-15 miles (approximately $500), and 15-20 miles ($250).
Some residents are also eligible to make a claim for personal injury damages. Residents who live within 10 miles can opt into the appropriate compensation and receive up to $25,000 per person, as the settlement assumes that anyone physically located within 10 miles of the derailment will be entitled to additional personal injury compensation in exchange for waiving future claims against Norfolk Southern and third parties.
The awarding of scholarships will only be decided after all forms have been processed.
To schedule an appointment for claim assistance, residents may call 833-425-3400. Appointments are recommended as walk-in visits will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Questions may be directed to the Settlement Administrator (Kroll Settlement Administration LLC) by phone at 1-833-425-3400 or by email at [email protected].
Claim forms should not be emailed, but may be mailed to East Palestine Train Derailment Settlement, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, PO Box 5324, New York, NY 10150-5324.
Residents can also visit the eastpalestinetrainsettlement website for more information.
