Morelli Law Announces Settlement Awards for Firm's Plaintiffs in 2015 Amtrak Train Derailment

NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Morelli Law Firm, the preeminent firm for civil litigation, announced that the plaintiffs it represented in the catastrophic Amtrak 188 train derailment, which killed eight individuals and injured more than 200, received their settlements yesterday. The awards were part of a larger $265 million settlement, the largest ever for a railroad crash. As part of the settlement delivery, Judge Legrome D. Davis, who presided over the case, issued a memorandum commending the Plaintiffs' Management Committee, which Morelli Law Firm served on, for their efforts to guarantee a speedy and fair resolution for the victims.

"First and foremost, these settlements are about providing final closure to the victims and their families, who endured this horrific tragedy," said Benedict Morelli, Founding Partner of Morelli Law Firm.

Morelli Law Firm represented multiple passengers in the derailment, including rising celebrity chef Eli Kulp, who was named "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine magazine in 2014 and was rendered permanently paralyzed by the crash, as well as former NYPD Lieutenant Michael Walsh, who endured 12 surgeries and nearly lost his right leg.

From the start, Morelli Law played a critical role in negotiating this unique settlement. Nearly immediately after the derailment, the firm spearheaded an effort to get Congress to raise the $200 million cap on damages. The firm was successful in its efforts, with Congress raising the cap to $295 million, which made the record $265 million settlement possible.

In addition, as a member of the Plaintiffs' Management Committee, the firm was tasked with creating a framework to resolve the hundreds of claims. With the help of other committee members, including Thomas R. Kline of Kline & Specter and Robert J. Mongeluzzi of Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett and Bendesky, it developed a process in which each plaintiff would present evidence to the court-appointed Masters, who would then determine how to most equitably distribute the $265 million, and have their awards reviewed by the judge. In a remarkable showing of consensus, every single major plaintiff opted into the framework, waiving their right to a jury trial and appeal. This framework has never been used in the history of tort litigation and will serve as a model for similar cases moving forward.   

"The settlement program was the best possible outcome for my clients, and all the victims of this horrific accident," Mr. Morelli stated. "They deserved swift resolution, and we're very happy we could provide that."

Individual settlement amounts are confidential.

About Morelli Law Firm
Morelli Law is the preeminent firm for all civil litigation. The experienced team of attorneys – led by founding partner Benedict Morelli – have secured more than $1 billion on behalf of clients. Unlike other firms, Morelli Law is composed of experienced courtroom litigators, who are always ready to go to trial. They've handled every possible type of civil case, including employment discrimination, mass torts, personal injury, product and drug liability, train and auto accidents, medical malpractice, and many more. They have a long and successful history of securing record-breaking verdicts and taking on large adversaries, such as Fox, Wal-Mart, Pfizer, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and BP.

CONTACT: Andrew Jarrell, [email protected], 212-784-5721

SOURCE Morelli Law Firm