Jayne Conroy of Simmons Hanly Conroy Named Co-Lead and Interim Class Counsel in East Palestine Derailment Case Against Norfolk Southern Railway

Conroy to represent all affected parties seeking justice for devastating train derailment

ALTON, Ill., April 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation's leading mass tort litigation firms dedicated to holding corporations responsible for wrongdoing, today announced that attorney and named shareholder Jayne Conroy has been selected as Co-Lead and Interim Class Counsel to represent plaintiffs in the case against Norfolk Southern, the company responsible for the East Palestine train derailment that occurred on February 3.

"Through the relentless pursuit of profit over safety, Norfolk Southern upended and drastically impacted thousands of lives and businesses," said Jayne Conroy, Esq., shareholder at Simmons Hanly Conroy. "This suit not only seeks to right these wrongs but to ensure the safety of the people in the affected areas immediately and in the long term."

Due to the nature of this case, the court has appointed both Co-Lead and Interim Class Counsel as it is an ongoing event affecting potentially thousands of residents, property owners, and businesses in East Palestine, Ohio and the surrounding area, all of whom are members of the putative classes that have been proposed. Set forth by Judge Benita Y. Pearson in the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division, Youngstown, the Feezle Leadership Group will be led by Jayne Conroy of Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, Seth A. Katz of Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C. and M. Elizabeth Graham of Grant & Eisenhofer P.A. and Michael Morgan of Morgan & Morgan, P.A.

Simmons Hanly Conroy, the first firm to file a class action lawsuit against the railroad, already has conducted significant work in identifying and investigating the potential claims. As Co-Lead and Interim Class Counsel, the firm will represent area residents affected by the spill and seek to hold the railroad accountable for both chemical exposure and property damage caused by the derailment.

The court has ordered that the Plaintiffs file their Amended Complaint by May 4th, which will be the operative complaint and allegations going forward. 

Since its inception, Simmons Hanly Conroy has helped tens of thousands of clients across the country harmed by corporate wrongdoing and recovered billions of dollars in judgements and settlements on their behalf.

About Simmons Hanly Conroy, LLC
Simmons Hanly Conroy, with nearly 250 employees, including 85 attorneys practicing nationwide, is one of the country's largest plaintiff law firms dedicated to holding corporations responsible for wrongdoing. Primary areas of litigation include mesothelioma and asbestos, pharmaceutical and medical device injuries, consumer protection class actions, environmental injuries and protection, and complex personal injury. The firm's attorneys have been appointed to leadership in numerous national multidistrict litigations, including prescription opioids, Vioxx, Toyota unintended acceleration, BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, DePuy Pinnacle and the Volkswagen emission scandal. Since 1999, the firm has secured $10 billion in verdicts and settlements for thousands of clients nationwide and is a major supporter of asbestos-related cancer research. Offices are located in Alton, Ill.; Los Angeles; New York City; San Francisco; and St. Louis. Read more at www.simmonsfirm.com.

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SOURCE Simmons Hanly Conroy