Three defendants in a class-action lawsuit over the fatal collapse of an apartment building in Surfside, Fla., reached a $55.5 million preliminary settlement with the victims of the disaster last year, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
The proposed settlement came about nine months after part of Champlain Towers South collapsed in the middle of the night on June 24, killing 98 people. Investigators have studied the strength of the concrete in the pool and underground car park, although investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing.
Becker, the law firm representing the condominium association, said it would pay $31 million; Morabito Consultants, an engineering firm hired to inspect the building for 40 years, said it would pay $16 million; and DeSimone Consulting Engineers, a structural engineering firm for another building nearby, said they would pay $8.55 million in the deal.
All three payments will be made by insurance companies and the terms are yet to be approved by a judge.
This amount is separate from a court-approved plan to sell the site under the building for $120 million, to be split between the building’s owners and the families of the victims (although there are concerns that the proceeds could bypass some owners). More lawsuits are expected against the nearby luxury tower and the firms building it.
“No amount of money can ever compensate the victims of this tragedy, but we hope these early settlements will help secure some closure,” said Harley Tropin and Rachel Furst, lead attorneys for the group of plaintiffs in the class action. Statement to The Miami Herald. “They reflect the excellent work of the lawyers on the team that brought these claims forward and negotiated the settlement.”
On Tuesday, Becker said the proposed deal does not include admissions of wrongdoing, stressing that the cause of the collapse has not yet been determined and “we continue to believe that the parties at fault must be held accountable.”
“Becker supports the fact that we have done what law firms are supposed to do – provided legal advice to the board of directors of the condominium association,” the law firm said in a statement to CNN. “We are pleased that this issue was quickly resolved and sincerely hope that the insurance reimbursement will bring some relief to those affected by this terrible tragedy.”