Many L’Enfant smoke lawsuits dismissed; victim’s family presses on

Smoke fills a Washington Metro system subway car near the L'Enfant Plaza station in Washington, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. The transit network in the nation's capital remained hobbled Tuesday morning after an electrical malfunction that filled the busy subway station with smoke, killing one woman and sending dozens of people to hospitals. (AP Photo/Andrew Litwin)
Smoke fills a Washington Metro system subway car near the L’Enfant Plaza station in Washington, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. The transit network in the nation’s capital remained hobbled Tuesday morning after an electrical malfunction that filled the busy subway station with smoke, killing one woman and sending dozens of people to hospitals. (AP Photo/Andrew Litwin)
Metro Transit Police officers secure the entrance to L’Enfant Plaza Station in Washington, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. Metro officials say one of the busiest stations in downtown Washington has been evacuated because of smoke. Authorities say the source of the smoke is unknown. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
This handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows damage from the arcing incident in the tunnel near L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station in Washington. Investigators say an electrical malfunction that filled a Washington subway train with smoke continued for 44 minutes before the Metro transit agency shut off power to the affected rail. The NTSB released a preliminary report on the accident Friday. One woman was killed and more than 80 people were sickened by smoke when the train stopped in a tunnel near the L'Enfant Plaza station Monday afternoon. (AP Photo/NTSB)
This handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows damage from the arcing incident in the tunnel near L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station in Washington. Investigators say an electrical malfunction that filled a Washington subway train with smoke continued for 44 minutes before the Metro transit agency shut off power to the affected rail. The NTSB released a preliminary report on the accident Friday. One woman was killed and more than 80 people were sickened by smoke when the train stopped in a tunnel near the L’Enfant Plaza station Monday afternoon. (AP Photo/NTSB)
This handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows Damage from the arcing incident in the tunnel near L’Enfant Plaza Station. Investigators say an electrical malfunction that filled a Washington subway train with smoke continued for 44 minutes before the Metro transit agency shut off power to the affected rail. The NTSB released a preliminary report on the accident Friday. One woman was killed and more than 80 people were sickened by smoke when the train stopped in a tunnel near the L’Enfant Plaza station Monday afternoon. (AP Photo/NTSB)
(1/4)
Smoke fills a Washington Metro system subway car near the L'Enfant Plaza station in Washington, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. The transit network in the nation's capital remained hobbled Tuesday morning after an electrical malfunction that filled the busy subway station with smoke, killing one woman and sending dozens of people to hospitals. (AP Photo/Andrew Litwin)
This handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows damage from the arcing incident in the tunnel near L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station in Washington. Investigators say an electrical malfunction that filled a Washington subway train with smoke continued for 44 minutes before the Metro transit agency shut off power to the affected rail. The NTSB released a preliminary report on the accident Friday. One woman was killed and more than 80 people were sickened by smoke when the train stopped in a tunnel near the L'Enfant Plaza station Monday afternoon. (AP Photo/NTSB)

WASHINGTON — A majority of the lawsuits tied to the deadly 2015 Yellow Line smoke incident near L’Enfant Plaza have now been dismissed in federal court in a way that signals settlement agreements for dozens of the victims and their families.

Court records show 20 cases have been dismissed just within the last month. In one case, a lawyer for one of the victims entered a notice that the case was settled before correcting it Friday to only formally indicate that all sides had agreed to have the case dismissed.

Since June, at least 80 of the 100 or so lawsuits have been dismissed under similar circumstances.

The settlements typically include an agreement that the parties will not share the details of any agreement.

A $50 million lawsuit filed by the family of Carol Glover, a 61-year-old from Alexandria who was killed when the Yellow Line train filled with smoke, is moving ahead. The next hearing for that and the other remaining cases is scheduled for March. If there is a trial, it could begin late next year.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up