Iowa driver paralyzed by Amtrak train settles lawsuit against railroads

A truck driver grievously injured in a collision with a train has settled his lawsuit against Amtrak and BNSF Railway .

Kyle Redinger, 33, was struck by an Amtrak train in October 2021 while driving a garbage truck in rural Monroe County. The impact spun the truck into a ditch and left him nearly paralyzed in all four limbs and likely to need a wheelchair for the rest of his life, his attorneys told the Register in 2023.

Redinger sued Amtrak and BNSF, which owns the track, claiming they hadn't addressed known safety concerns at the crossing where the collision happened and the train conductor had failed to sound the horn when they saw the truck approaching. The crossing, on 160th Street, did not have lights or gates and visibility was partially blocked for oncoming drivers by dense vegetation, according to the complaint.

The complaint also stated there'd been at least one crash at the intersection before, resulting in serious injuries, but that BNSF had made no changes to improve safety at the crossing after that incident.

From 2021: Train derails in northwest Iowa town of Sibley; evacuations ordered but no injuries reported

Redinger filed his suit in March 2023, and court records show a BNSF and Amtrak had filed a motion for summary judgment that was pending when the parties notified the court of a settlement in May. The case was formally dismissed July 18.

An attorney for Redinger confirmed the case was resolved but said the settlement amount is confidential, and declined to comment. Attorneys for the railroads did not return messages from the Register.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166 .

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa driver paralyzed by Amtrak train settles lawsuit against railroads