NEW ORLEANS — A hearing is set for Nov. 20 in federal court to determine whether class-action lawsuits filed against Canadian National Railroad over the Oct. 12 Amite freight train derailment should stay in federal court or move back to the 21st Judicial District Court in Amite, the Hammond Daily Star reported.
Federal Judge Jay C. Zainey will hear from both sides on the matter.
CNR officials asked to move the case to the federal court and will argue that it stay there, said spokesman Jack Burke. The parent company is based in Montreal and the subsidiary, Illinois Central, is based in Chicago.
Meanwhile CNR has written about 900 checks settling claims with 23 Amite businesses and 1,734 individuals affected by the derailment that forced hundreds of Amite families to evacuate their homes. The company set up a claims office in Amite City Hall for several days last week to deal with claimants on the spot.
Burke said, “1,734 clients have found the settlements we offered were fair, reasonable and timely with no legal fees attached,” Burke said.
Others who would like to discuss claims or have questions can call CNR, he said. Businesses can call Ken Robinson at (601) 592-1882. Individuals can call Robert McCormick at (504) 734-6951.
Some residents of the area are not satisfied with the company’s response, according to Katie Sims, a Velma resident. A community meeting has been called today at 6:30 p.m. at the Bickham AME Zion Church in Velma.
Information about the cause of the accident is not yet available. Twenty-two railcars derailed the afternoon of Oct. 12, some leaked hydrochloric acid and styrene in the process.
Louisiana State Police declared a half-mile radius evacuation along the roughly one mile length of the accident site.
Within three days, most residents were back in their homes and most businesses had reopened.