The lawsuit alleges Union Pacific officials pressured families of those injured or killed by trains to quickly settle for amounts lower than what they might have received with a lawyer's help.

Phillip Duncan of Little Rock, a lawyer for three Arkansas residents who brought the suit, said the class includes people involved in accidents between 1992 and February 14, 2005, who settled with the company without a lawyer. They must be Arkansas residents and non-railroad employees. Duncan said at least 100 people fall within the class but he expects there are many more.