CENTRALIA, IL — Patrons of two Amtrak stations in the Southern District of Illinois may be eligible for compensation as part of a recent Justice Department settlement. On January 29th, federal authorities announced that a $2.25 million fund had been established to compensate travelers with a mobility disability who were harmed physically or emotionally because of accessibility issues at 78 Amtrak stations nationwide between 2013 and 2020.

Included in the settlement were Amtrak stations in Centralia and Effingham. According to Justice Department officials, those stations did not meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The stations in Centralia and Effingham were a part of a long list of stations where passenger platforms were not readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. Although the specific issues were not disclosed, examples include steep slopes, no detectable warnings at the platform edges, and ground surfaces that were not stable, firm, and slip resistant. In total, nine Amtrak stations in Illinois were cited by the Justice Department as non-ADA compliant, more than any other state.

To be eligible for monetary compensation, travelers must have a mobility disability and must have been harmed due to inaccessibility issues at one or more of the affected stations from July 23rd, 2013 to December 2nd, 2020. All claims must be submitted no later than May 29th, 2021.

Questions about the claims process should be directed to the settlement administrator by visiting AmtrakDisabilitySettlement.com, email info@AmtrakDisabilitySettlement.com, or by calling the Fund Administrator at (888) 334-6165.