$81.5 Million for Victims of Montana Amtrak Derailment

$81.5 Million for Victims of Montana Amtrak Derailment

SMB attorneys Robert J. Mongeluzzi and Jeffrey P. Goodman filed federal complaints against Amtrak in September 2021 and February 2022.

Firm President Robert J. Mongeluzzi stated that “this disaster is a stark reminder that a simple failure of maintenance can kill and destroy families. We are proud that we swiftly held Amtrak accountable, but recognize that even a settlement of this magnitude can never fairly compensate those who lost loved ones or suffered devastating injuries.”

Jeffrey P. Goodman said the Feb. 2022 filing sharpens the focus on a litany of operational shortcomings, including failures to identify track buckling as a significant contributing factor to the derailment. “Amtrak and BNSF should have ensured adequate safety and maintenance measures were in place to prevent track buckling and identify all potential track issues that could lead to tragedy. This location has an over 40-year history of derailments, tragically, Amtrak and BNSF failed to learn from lessons of the past and [we] are determined to ensure they do not make that mistake in the future.”

SMB is one of America’s leading law firms representing victims of catastrophic injuries and loss of life. Trial attorneys Mongeluzzi and Goodman served within Plaintiffs leadership in litigation following the 2015 fatal Amtrak 188 derailment in Philadelphia, and other Amtrak fatal accidents in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, and also the 2016 New Jersey Transit (NJT) fatal crash in Hoboken, NJ. They have consistently advocated for implementation of advanced railroad safety technology, including Positive Train Control (PTC), which provides for automatic braking and switching systems.