South Dakota Family Sues Railroad After Fatal Train Crash
The family of a rural Brandon man killed in 2009 when a train collided with his truck has filed a lawsuit against the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.
The Argus Leader reports that the family of Robert Defries filed the lawsuit last week in Minnehaha County. The lawsuit accuses BNSF of negligence for failing to properly mark the intersection near Corson where Defries’ pickup collided with the train.
BNSF officials declined comment. Spokeswoman Amy McBeth says the railroad will “respond through the legal process.”
The lawsuit seeks damages to cover the loss of the 36-year-old plumber’s anticipated income, as well as burial expenses, financial support for his children and damages for pain, suffering and loss.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Popular Today
- UIM Minimum Limits. A Coverage That May Not Pay?
- HSBC Executive Strikes Back in Court Fight Over Poaching Claims
- First Atlantic Hurricane of 2026 to Threaten US Gulf Coast
- Agentic Intelligence for Claims Dominates New Tech Launches
Popular This Month
- Londoners Find ‘Horrendous’ Cracks in Their Homes After Successive Heat Waves
- The Nation’s Insurance Laboratory: What Liability Trends in California Mean for the Rest of the Country
- Are We Training Claims Adjusters or Claims Processors?
- Torrential Rain Brings Deadly Floods Back to East Coast of Spain