Norfolk Southern lawsuit claims derailment destroyed business owner’s livelihood

Norfolk Southern lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Edwin Wang filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern.
• Why: The Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, allegedly destroyed his businesses due to the toxic chemicals released in the area.
• Where: The Norfolk Southern lawsuit was filed in Ohio federal court.

A new $500 million Norfolk Southern lawsuit has been filed by the owner of a manufacturing and fabrication company who alleges he was forced to close his company due to the devastating impact of the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year, Law360 reports.

Plaintiff Edwin Wang owns CeramFab Inc., CeramSource Inc., YongGong LLC and WYG Refractories LLC with locations in the East Palestine area.

Wang says he had to cease operations in the region due to the toxic chemicals released following the Norfolk Southern derailment, which made it unsafe for employees to return to work at his nearby businesses.

Additionally, Wang says he has lost business from customers who are worried about purchasing products made near the site of the Norfolk Southern derailment.

“There is a palpable taint on everything now related to East Palestine,” Wang alleges in the Norfolk Southern lawsuit. “Some customers do not want existing product from East Palestine because of a perceived contamination risk. Others do not want the headaches of placing future orders because of the fear that further remediation will be required that will prolong the companies’ operational hiatus, force future closures or result in new facility remediation.”

Plaintiff says damages from Norfolk Southern derailment exceed $500 million

The Norfolk Southern lawsuit says toxic chemicals were found in close proximity to Wang’s businesses and the only way to restore the properties is to demolish them and rebuild from the ground up.

Wang claims that he has suffered lost income, lost property value, lost investment due to relocating a facility, lost customers and lost business opportunities due to the Norfolk Southern derailment. He says his companies will likely never be able to recover financially without immediate and substantial capital infusions.

The full cost of Wang’s present and future damages amount to more than $500 million, Wang alleges.

Norfolk Southern has faced other lawsuits in the wake of the Ohio train derailment. Recently, the company argued against dismissing its claims against the owners of five tank cars it alleges were modified or noncompliant.

Was your business affected by the Norfolk Southern derailment? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

The plaintiffs are represented by Jon C. Conlin, F. Jerome Tapley, R. Andrew Jones and Hunter M. Phares of Cory Watson PC.

The Norfolk Southern derailment lawsuit is CeramFab Inc., et al. v. Norfolk Southern Corporation, et al., Case No. 4:23-cv-02206, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Judge in 3M earplugs litigation closes 3,500+ claims
• American credit card debt hits record $1.08 trillion, report finds
• Ace Hardware class action claims website not accessible to blind, visually impaired
• Jeep Wagoneer recall initiated due to potential third-row seat belt defect