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A $200-million pot was established Wednesday to pay the more than 100 lawsuits that have been filed in the aftermath of the 2008 Metrolink train crash in Chatsworth.
Southern California Metro-link, as well as the engineer-contracting company Connex, filed a document Wednesday creating the fund, the maximum potential for liability amount for the crash under federal law.
“The fund was designed to get the money to the victims on an expedited basis,” said Keith Millhouse, Moorpark city councilman and chairman of Metrolink. “Alternatively, it could take years to go through the litigation process.”
If the plaintiffs cannot come up with an agreement, the court will distribute the monies as it deems equitable, Millhouse said.
“It will likely involve them presenting their unique situations to the court,” he added.
Twenty-five people were killed in the Sept. 12 crash, including engineer Robert Sanchez, who investigators say ran a red light while texting young rail enthusiasts on his cellphone. The northbound train collided with a Union Pacific freight train near the Chatsworth station in the San Fernando Valley.
Twenty-one of the victims were from Ventura County, including 10 from Simi Valley, four from Moorpark and two from Camarillo. More than 130 people were injured.
“I recognize that no amount of money will undo the damage that the texting engineer caused,” Millhouse said. “And I don’t create the laws—I have to work within them.
“All I can do is get the maximum amount under the law. That’s where I focus my efforts.”
Milhouse said he couldn’t comment on how much Metrolink or Connex paid into the $200-million fund—he only confirmed that it was “a collection of funds.”
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