Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, are requesting an extension and further information before accepting their portion of a $600 million settlement from Norfolk Southern following last year's derailment. The judge has yet to decide on their motion, and the deadline for claims is Thursday for individuals within a 20-mile radius of the disaster. Those living within 10 miles must also consider accepting up to $25,000 for personal injuries, which would waive their rights to sue if serious health issues develop later. As for property damage, people living within 2 miles could get $70,000, but the number falls as the distance from the derailment increases.
Attorney David Graham highlights concerns that lawyers representing the residents have not disclosed findings from tests conducted by expert Stephen Petty on contamination levels. Despite promises, lawyers presented a different expert, Dr. Arch Carson, at a recent town hall who asserted no cancer risk but failed to clearly present his data sources. Dr. Erin Haynes, leading a health study in the area, strongly disputed Carson's claims, emphasizing a lack of supporting research.
Graham argues plaintiffs' lawyers might prioritize their $180 million fees over residents' needs. The lawyers, defending the settlement, maintain it is the largest derailment settlement made public, with appropriate timeframes for evaluation. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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