In a legal tempest brewing against Norfolk Southern Railway Co., Edwin Wang, the proprietor of CeramFab Inc., a manufacturing and fabrication company, is unleashing a $500 million lawsuit following the aftermath of a harrowing train derailment in Ohio back in February. The lawsuit alleges that the calamity wreaked havoc on Wang’s livelihood, pushing him to the brink of shuttering his business as clients and workers hastily fled the fallout.
Toxic Fallout: A Business Shattered, Dreams Derailed
Residing in New Jersey and a naturalized Chinese immigrant, Wang contends that CeramFab Inc. was forced to cease all operations in the East Palestine region due to the toxic chemicals released during the train derailment, compounded by Norfolk Southern’s alleged intentional release in the area. The aftermath rendered Wang’s East Palestine warehouse and other local businesses unsafe for his workers, causing a catastrophic domino effect that led to the loss of crucial customers concerned about the region’s tainted products.
Norfolk Southern $500M Suit: A Lingering Stigma
In a statement, Wang expressed the palpable taint that now haunts everything associated with East Palestine. The contamination concerns have infiltrated every sales call, with customers shying away from existing products and fearing the potential headaches associated with future orders. Wang lamented, “There is a palpable taint on everything now related to East Palestine.”
CeramFab’s Dilemma: A Battle on Multiple Fronts
CeramFab Inc., Wang’s flagship business, faced the direct brunt of the disaster, with all four of Wang’s companies situated within the evacuated area. The lawsuit contends that the lingering chemicals persist in CeramFab’s facilities, embedded in the air, soil, water exposure, and even the very walls, allegedly baked in by the “several thousand degree heat from Norfolk Southern’s controlled burn” post-derailment.
Norfolk Southern’s Alleged Self-Preservation: A Legal Thunderstorm Unleashed
John C. Conlin, counsel for Wang, asserts that Norfolk Southern’s decisions, both pre and post-derailment, were driven by self-interest rather than public welfare. Conlin contends, “They had the trains up and running within days, but the effects on Mr. Wang are going to take years. That’s just wrong.” Wang seeks fair compensation, accusing Norfolk Southern of being unwilling to step up and take responsibility for the havoc wreaked on his businesses and livelihood.
Norfolk Southern $500M Suit : Norfolk Southern Offers No Comment
Representatives for Norfolk Southern have chosen to remain tight-lipped, declining to comment on the lawsuit as the legal storm gathers momentum.
Legal Eagles Take Flight: Wang Represented by Cory Watson PC
Wang and his businesses are being represented by a formidable legal team including Jon C. Conlin, F. Jerome Tapley, R. Andrew Jones, and Hunter Phares of Cory Watson PC.
