Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves [Abstract]

Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves

Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves

Activity related to casualty, environmental and other reserves is as follows:

	Casualty		Environmental		Other
(Dollars in Millions)	Reserves		Reserves		Reserves		Total
December 31, 2019	$	187	$	74	$	44	$	305
Charged to Expense	55		20		32		107
Payments	(46)		(18)		(34)		(98)
December 31, 2020	196		76		42		314
Assumed in Acquisition of Quality Carriers	—		29		33		62
Charged to Expense	55		26		49		130
Payments	(71)		(23)		(44)		(138)
December 31, 2021	180		108		80		368
Assumed in Acquisition of Pan Am	19		36		—		55
Charged to Expense	45		47		51		143
Payments	(50)		(30)		(50)		(130)
December 31, 2022	$	194	$	161	$	81	$	436

Personal injury and environmental reserves are considered critical accounting estimates due to the need for management judgment. In the table above, the impacts of changes in estimates are included in the charged to expense amount and were not material in 2022, 2021 or 2020. Casualty, environmental and other reserves are provided for in the consolidated balance sheets as shown in the table below.

	December 2022						December 2021
(Dollars in Millions)	Current		Long-term		Total		Current		Long-term		Total
Casualty:
Personal Injury	$	40	$	86	$	126	$	37	$	81	$	118
Occupational	10		58		68		7		55		62
Total Casualty	$	50	$	144	$	194	$	44	$	136	$	180
Environmental	53		108		161		37		71		108
Other	41		40		81		37		43		80
Total	$	144	$	292	$	436	$	118	$	250	$	368

NOTE 5.  Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves, continued    

These liabilities are accrued when probable and reasonably estimable in accordance with the Contingencies Topic in the ASC. Actual settlements and claims received could differ and final outcomes of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty. Considering the legal defenses currently available, the liabilities that have been recorded and other factors, it is the opinion of management that none of these items individually, when finally resolved, will have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Should a number of these items occur in the same period, however, their combined effect could be material in that particular period.

Casualty

Casualty reserves of $194 million and $180 million for 2022 and 2021, respectively, represent accruals for personal injury, occupational disease and occupational injury claims primarily related to railroad operations. Casualty reserves include liabilities assumed as a result of the Company's acquisition of Pan Am in 2022. Beginning June 1, 2021, the Company's self-insured retention amount for casualty claims increased from $75 million to $100 million per occurrence. Currently, no individual claim is expected to exceed the self-insured retention amount. Most of the Company's casualty claims relate to CSXT. In accordance with the Contingencies Topic in the ASC, to the extent the value of an individual claim exceeds the self-insured retention amount, the Company would present the liability on a gross basis with a corresponding receivable for insurance recoveries.

These reserves fluctuate based upon the timing of payments as well as changes in estimate. Actual results may vary from estimates due to the number, type and severity of the injury, costs of medical treatments and uncertainties in litigation. Defense and processing costs, which historically have been insignificant and are anticipated to be insignificant in the future, are not included in the recorded liabilities. Changes in casualty reserves are included in purchased services and other on the consolidated income statements.

Personal Injury

Personal injury reserves represent liabilities for employee work-related and third-party injuries. Work-related injuries for CSXT employees are primarily subject to the Federal Employers' Liability Act ("FELA"). CSXT retains an independent actuary to assist management in assessing the value of personal injury claims. An analysis is performed by the actuary quarterly and is reviewed by management. The methodology used by the actuary includes a development factor to reflect growth or reduction in the value of these personal injury claims based largely on CSXT's historical claims and settlement experience. These analyses did not result in a material adjustment to the personal injury reserve in 2022, 2021 or 2020.

NOTE 5.  Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves, continued

Occupational

Occupational reserves represent liabilities arising from allegations of exposure to certain materials in the workplace (such as solvents, soaps, chemicals and diesel fumes), past exposure to asbestos or allegations of chronic physical injuries resulting from work conditions (such as repetitive stress injuries). The Company retains an independent actuary to analyze the Company’s historical claims, settlement amounts, and dismissal rates to assist in determining future anticipated claim filing rates and average settlement values. This analysis is performed by the actuary and reviewed by management quarterly. There were no material adjustments to the occupational reserve in 2022, 2021 or 2020.

Environmental

Environmental reserves were $161 million and $108 million for 2022 and 2021, respectively. Environmental reserves include liabilities assumed as a result of the Company's acquisition of Pan Am in 2022 and Quality Carriers in 2021. The Company is a party to various proceedings related to environmental issues, including administrative and judicial proceedings involving private parties and regulatory agencies. The Company has been identified as a potentially responsible party at approximately 240 environmentally impaired sites. Many of these are, or may be, subject to remedial action under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA"), also known as the Superfund Law, or similar state statutes. Most of these proceedings arose from environmental conditions on properties used for ongoing or discontinued railroad operations. A number of these proceedings, however, are based on allegations that the Company, or its predecessors, sent hazardous substances to facilities owned or operated by others for treatment, recycling or disposal. In addition, some of the Company’s land holdings were leased to others for commercial or industrial uses that may have resulted in releases of hazardous substances or other regulated materials onto the property and could give rise to proceedings against the Company.

In any such proceedings, the Company is subject to environmental clean-up and enforcement actions under the Superfund Law, as well as similar state laws that may impose joint and several liability for clean-up and enforcement costs on current and former owners and operators of a site without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct. These costs could be substantial.

NOTE 5.  Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves, continued

In accordance with the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations Topic in the ASC, the Company reviews its role with respect to each site identified at least quarterly, giving consideration to a number of factors such as:

•type of clean-up required;

•nature of the Company’s alleged connection to the location (e.g., generator of waste sent to the site or owner or operator of the site);

•extent of the Company’s alleged connection (e.g., volume of waste sent to the location and other relevant factors); and

•number, connection and financial viability of other named and unnamed potentially responsible parties at the location.

Based on management's review process, amounts have been recorded to cover contingent anticipated future environmental remediation costs with respect to each site to the extent such costs are reasonably estimable and probable. The recorded liabilities for estimated future environmental costs are undiscounted. The liability includes future costs for remediation and restoration of sites as well as any significant ongoing monitoring costs, but excludes any anticipated insurance recoveries. Payments related to these liabilities are expected to be made over the next several years. Environmental remediation costs are included in purchased services and other on the consolidated income statements.

Currently, the Company does not possess sufficient information to reasonably estimate the amounts of additional liabilities, if any, on some sites until completion of future environmental studies. In addition, conditions that are currently unknown could, at any given location, result in additional exposure, the amount and materiality of which cannot presently be reasonably estimated. Based upon information currently available, however, the Company believes its environmental reserves accurately reflect the estimated cost of remedial actions currently required.

Other

Other reserves were $81 million and $80 million for 2022 and 2021, respectively. These reserves include liabilities assumed as a result of the Company's acquisition of Pan Am in 2022 and Quality Carriers in 2021. Other reserves include liabilities for various claims, such as automobile, property, general liability, workers' compensation and longshoremen disability claims.