CN Settles With 475 Tamaroa Victims of 2003 Chemical Train Derailment

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Mark Bryant Law Firm of Paducah,Ky. confirmed today that it has reached a financial settlement for approximately 475 victims of the February 2003 Canadian National train derailment in Tamaroa that made refugees of townspeople for nearly a week.

Attorney Mark Bryant told the Du Quoin Evening Call that the settlement was expected in late March, but instead came on Tuesday. He said he cannot discuss the terms of the sealed agreement, but commented, "The people of Tamaroa will be very pleased." Bryant said his law firm will schedule a meeting with plaintiffs in the near future. Residents can expect payments within the next 180 days. The litigation began as a class action lawsuit after 21 chemical cars of a Canadian National freight derailed. The case went all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. It was handed back to the circuit court as individual lawsuits and required depositions from experts all over the country in places like Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago and St. Louis.

Said Bryant, "This settles everything and the Canadian National has no more appeals."