Kreindler Following Fatal Amtrak Empire Builder Train Derailment Near Joplin, Montana

September 27, 2021

The Incident

Amtrak’s train derailed near Joplin, Montana on Saturday September 25, 2021. 

Three people were killed and at least thirty injured as a result of the derailment. Eight cars of Amtrak’s train derailed as it traveled along a slight curve in a stretch of BNSF Railway tracks near Joplin. The train, heading from Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington was carrying 141 passengers and 16 crew members.

In the Media

Preliminary Train Accident Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has set up a “go-team” based out of Great Falls, Montana to investigate the causes of the derailment of the Amtrak Empire Builder train. Investigators have determined the train was traveling under the speed limit, at a speed of about 75 miles per hour and will review available video footage may help them gain insight to a possible cause.

Kreindler Successful Experience with Amtrak Litigation

Kreindler successfully prosecuted actions on behalf of victims of the 2015 Amtrak derailment near Philadelphia that claimed the lives of eight passengers, including three from New York. In addition, Kreindler attorneys David Cook and Andrew Maloney have settled multiple train derailment cases, including one case on behalf of a retired couple that settled for $2.85M. Maloney and Cook also successfully prosecuted death and injury cases from a Metro North derailment at Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx, NY and Mr. Maloney is currently a member of the Plaintiffs’ Committee prosecuting Metro North for train passenger death and injury claims that resulted from a grade crossing collision near Valhalla, NY.

Photo Credit: Amtrak Empire Builder Train, via Flickr User Loco Steve