North Carolina General Statutes 160A-626. Limitations on rail transportation liability
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Claim” means a claim, action, suit, or request for damages, whether compensatory, punitive, or otherwise, made by any person or entity against:
a. The Authority, a railroad, or an operating rights railroad; or
b. An officer, director, trustee, employee, parent, subsidiary, or affiliated corporation as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-130.2, or agent of: the Authority, a railroad, or an operating rights railroad.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 160A-626
- Authority: means a Regional Public Transportation Authority as defined by subdivision (6) of this section. See North Carolina General Statutes 160A-601
- Charter: means the entire body of local acts currently in force applicable to a particular city, including articles of incorporation issued to a city by an administrative agency of the State, and any amendments thereto adopted pursuant to 1917 Public Laws, Chapter 136, Subchapter 16, Part VIII, sections 1 and 2, or Article 5, Part 4, of this Chapter. See North Carolina General Statutes 160A-1
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
- Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- property: shall include all property, both real and personal. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(2) “Operating rights railroad” means a railroad corporation or railroad company that, prior to January 1, 2001, was granted operating rights by a State-Owned Railroad Company or operated over the property of a State-Owned Railroad Company under a claim of right over or adjacent to facilities used by or on behalf of the Authority.
(3) “Passenger rail services” means the transportation of rail passengers by or on behalf of the Authority and all services performed by a railroad pursuant to a contract with the Authority in connection with the transportation of rail passengers, including, but not limited to, the operation of trains; the use of right of way, trackage, public or private roadway and rail crossings, equipment, or station areas or appurtenant facilities; the design, construction, reconstruction, operation, or maintenance of rail related equipment, tracks, and any appurtenant facilities; or the provision of access rights over or adjacent to lines owned by the Authority or a railroad, or otherwise occupied by the Authority or a railroad, pursuant to charter grant, fee simple deed, lease, easement, license, trackage rights, or other form of ownership or authorized use.
(4) “Railroad” means a railroad corporation or railroad company, including a State-Owned Railroad Company as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 124-11, that has entered into any contracts or operating agreements of any kind with the Authority concerning passenger rail services.
(b) Contracts Allocating Financial Responsibility Authorized. – The Authority may contract with any railroad to allocate financial responsibility for passenger rail services claims, including, but not limited to, the execution of indemnity agreements, notwithstanding any other statutory, common law, public policy, or other prohibition against same, and regardless of the nature of the claim or the conduct giving rise to such claim.
(c) Insurance Required. –
(1) If the Authority enters into any contract authorized by subsection (b) of this section, the contract shall require the Authority to secure and maintain, upon and after the commencement of the operation of trains by or on behalf of the Authority, a liability insurance policy covering the liability of the parties to the contract, a State-Owned Railroad Company as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 124-11 that owns or claims an interest in any real property subject to the contract, and any operating rights railroad for all claims for property damage, personal injury, bodily injury, and death arising out of or related to passenger rail services. The policy shall name the parties to the contract, a State-Owned Railroad Company as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 124-11 that owns or claims an interest in any real property subject to the contract, and any operating rights railroad as named insureds and shall have policy limits of not less than two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) per single accident or incident, and may include a self insured retention in an amount of not more than five million dollars ($5,000,000).
(2) If the Authority does not enter into any contract authorized by subsection (b) of this section, upon and after the commencement of the operation of trains by or on behalf of the Authority, the Authority shall secure and maintain a liability insurance policy, with policy limits and a self-insured retention consistent with subdivision (1) of this subsection, for all claims for property damage, personal injury, bodily injury, and death arising out of or related to passenger rail services.
(d) Liability Limit. – The aggregate liability of the Authority, the parties to the contract or contracts authorized by subsection (b) of this section, a State-Owned Railroad Company as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 124-11, and any operating rights railroad for all claims arising from a single accident or incident related to passenger rail services for property damage, personal injury, bodily injury, and death is limited to two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) per single accident or incident or to any proceeds available under any insurance policy secured pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, whichever is greater.
(e) Effect on Other Laws. – This section shall not affect the damages that may be recovered under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. § 51, et seq., (1908); or under Article 1 of Chapter 97 of the N.C. Gen. Stat.. (2002-78, s. 1; 2012-79, s. 1.14(g).)