'Outside Door Was Peeled Open': Victim Of September Amtrak Derailment Speaks Out
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One of the victims of last month's deadly Amtrak crash is speaking out for the first time.
The train left Chicago heading for Seattle when it derailed in rural Montana. Three people died and dozens of others were hurt.
Chicago lawyers just filed four more negligence lawsuits on behalf of the victims, including an Oregon man. He said he was in the bathroom when the train tipped over, leaving him severely injured.
"The jolt was pretty quick. It was just back and forth. Maybe a second later, the car was on its side sliding down the sides of the track. The outside door was peeled open. I could see all the gravel and dirt along the tracks," said Amtrak passenger Justin Ruddell. "If I would have let go, I would have fell down and out that door and got crushed by the train.
Lawyers plan on challenging the arbitration requirement Amtrak prints on the back of its tickets. The cause of the derailment is still being investigated.