Tower settlement

A nearly US$1 billion tentative settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit brought by families of victims and survivors of last June’s condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, a lawyer said. Harley S Tropin announced the US$997 million settlement during a hearing before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman. Earlier this year, Hanzman had approved an $83 million settlement to compensate people who suffered economic losses such as condominium units and personal property. The 12-storey Champlain Towers South condiminium collapsed on June 24. A total of 98 people were killed.