A suburban train derailment and viaduct collapse Wednesday killed an attorney and his wife.
Burton R. Lindner, 69, and his wife, Zorine, 70, died after a Union Pacific Railroad coal train derailed and a viaduct collapsed at the Glenview-Northbrook border.
Emergency responders found their car Thursday in the accident debris. They were identified this morning.
Lindner ran Lindner & Lindner Ltd. with his son and practiced law since he graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 1970.
He worked at the Chicago Transit Authority and two firms before he started his own practice in 1975. His firm represents plaintiffs in personal-injury and workers' compensation cases. It also handles real estate, business, contract and family matters.
The firm's website says Lindner secured "many successful verdicts and reached hundreds of lucrative settlements for his clients." Lindner enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his four grandchildren, the site says.
This morning, Cook County Circuit Judge William D. Maddux entered an order to prevent Union Pacific Railroad and its representatives from moving or modifying the wreckage and accident debris.
The order also prevents railroad employees and agents from being within 400 feet of the viaduct. The railroad company can provide equipment to help suburban authorities search for human remains.
The order remains in effect until 11 p.m., Saturday.
Michael J. LaMonica of Fisher & LaMonica P.C. represents the Lindners' estates and filed the order in Maddux's courtroom this morning.
LaMonica said a train derailed at the same site within the last three years. He hasn't confirmed reports that the extreme heat caused the derailment.
"But I do know that just because it's 100 degrees, it's not an excuse for trains to go flying off tracks," said LaMonica, who will represent the estates in a lawsuit against the rail company.
A Union Pacific spokesman couldn't be reached for comment.
LaMonica said Lindner mentored him and they shared office space after LaMonica opened his firm this year.
"Personally, this is really, really hard," LaMonica said. "He was a great guy. And his wife was fantastic as well. You couldn't find two more generous, compassionate people."