Some residents in East Palestine are fighting for their settlements

Frustration is growing among some who live in East Palestine who still haven't received their portion of the class action settlement from the toxic train derailment.

Those same folks received letters in the mail telling them they're claims were deficient for reasons including: insufficient proof of residency.

"I received a letter saying that I had to verify my residency once again to be eligible for the payments," said Huck Hughes, who was one of the first in line outside of the East Palestine Train Derailment Settlement Center near the intersection of Rebecca Street and Taggart Street.

"I think somebody needs to step in and take care of the residents the way they should've been taken care of from the very beginning," he added.

Hughes wasn't the only one.

Brenda Bell, a long-time resident, inside the two-mile radius of the train derailment more than two years ago.

"They said it's been deemed deficient for the following reasons: insufficient proof of residence, even though I've sent my bank account statement," said Bell, reading the letter the received. 

Bell says she's lived there for almost three decades, and submitted the information she needed for proof almost a year ago.

"We hadn't heard nothing, not a phone, no letter, no nothing until yesterday," Bell added. "At least send a letter to let everyone know where your claims are at instead of not hearing anything at all," Bell explained, adding that her mother lives less than a half-mile from the derailment site and hasn't received anything yet either.

Following Judge Benita Y. Pearson's order made on June 11, Kroll Settlement Administration LLC will immediately cease to continue work on the distribution of settlement funds to those in East Palestine.

The lawyers representing the victims, referred to as "class counsel" requested the company's removal from the plan of distribution.

This was done in part due to the belief the company was miscalculating payments and even at time overpaying.

21 News has more coverage on this development in the story below.

Likely miscalculations lead to new East Palestine settlement administrator