Suit Filed Against Company That Employed Metrolink 111 Engineer

October 26, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

It has been reported by Metrolink accident attorneys that Metrolink has filed suit against Veolia Transportation and Connex Railroad LLC which is a subsidiary. This comes after Metrolink's admission that the engineer was at fault for the Metrolink 111 crash in Chatsworth and the findings that the engineer was text messaging.

Text messaging and having a cell phone on the was in violation of Metrolink’s policies according to Metrolink board member Keith Millhouse and he went on to say there is no gray area in this policy. Millhouse went on to say that this was a clear willful violation on the part of the engineer. Other Metrolink officials have also voiced concern over the fact that the engineer had a cell phone on the train while he was at the controls.

According to cell phone records obtained by the NTSB the engineer was sending and receiving text messages minutes prior to the crash.

The only comment from Veolia Transportation was that they had just recently learned of the law suit and stated they could not comment. Erica Swerdlow a spokes person did state that Connex has been operating in compliance with the contract agreement they have with Metrorail and they are continuing their service with Metrolink.


According to legal observers the collision is the worst rail crash in approximately 50 years and the amount of wrongful death and personal injury claims could be the first to test the $200 million federal cap that has been placed on damages associated with train accidents.

The lawsuit that Metrolink has filed will be the deciding factor in who will bare the responsibility for the collision that fatally injured numerous passengers and injured 135 passengers and crew members.