Amtrak has agreed to pay up to $265 million in one of the largest rail crash settlements in the United States, for claims related to a high-speed derailment in Philadelphia last year that killed eight and injured more than 200, according to a court order issued on Thursday.
Two masters appointed by Judge Legrome D. Davis of Federal District Court will evaluate the plaintiffs’ claims and make recommendations about how much to award to each person or estate. The judge, who has final approval, can modify the amount.
The masters will consider, among other things, a plaintiff’s occupation, time out of work, lost earnings and future medical expenses in arriving at a sum to recommend to the judge, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, David C. Cook, said in an interview on Thursday.
If total damages exceed $265 million, each claim will be decreased proportionately, according to the order. If the settlement amounts to less, each claim will be increased, Mr. Cook said, adding that no balance would be returned to Amtrak. The precise number of plaintiffs was not immediately available but was in excess of 100.
