BNSF Seeks Delay in Lawsuit over North Dakota Derailment

A lawyer for BNSF says a civil lawsuit against the railway over a derailment near Casselton, N.D., nearly two years ago should be put on hold until it can be determined whether a broken axel was the cause of the fiery crash.

Bryan Thompson, of Fargo, was the engineer at the helm during the December 2013 derailment. His suit accuses BNSF of negligence and says the railway failed to properly inspect and maintain its equipment and failed to warn him of the dangers of hauling explosive oil tankers.

BNSF lawyer Timothy Thornton asked Judge Norman Anderson on Monday to delay the proceedings until the National Transportation Safety Board comes out with detailed findings on the crash.

Thompson’s lawyers say a delay would be “an economic hardship” for their client.