LaVista Fire Settlement: Who Qualifies and What Residents Can Claim

The settlement is for people who lived at the apartment community when the November 10, 2023 fire occurred. The notice also says the class includes assignees, subrogated insurers, and successors.

• You must have lived at The Reserve at LaVista Walk on November 10, 2023.
• Adults and children are included, but the notice excludes Charnelle Gunn, Robert Stokes, and people who already settled, assigned, or obtained a final judgment on Fire-related claims.

The notice describes an adult displacement payment and a separate property-loss claim for fire-related damage. It does not state a guaranteed dollar amount for either adult payment.

• Every adult with a valid claim who verifies residency will receive an equal share of the $1.3 million Displacement Pool. The amount is not fixed because it depends on the number of valid adult claims.
• An adult who lost or had personal property damaged in the fire may also submit a property-loss claim. That payment depends on the amount the administrator recognizes and the total recognized claims.

The child payment is a flat amount. Unlike adult payments, the notice says it is paid in full and is not reduced.

• A child must have been under 18 on November 10, 2023 and lived at the property.
• The payment is $2,500 for each eligible child.
• A parent or legal guardian may claim for a child using the same Claim Form.
• This payment covers both the child’s displacement and property-loss claims, so a child does not receive a separate displacement payment.

The notice requires documents for a property-loss claim. It requires adults seeking displacement payments to verify residency, but it does not say in this notice what documents establish residency or what supporting documents, if any, are required for a child’s flat payment.

• For property loss, provide documents about the loss to the settlement administrator’s adjuster.
• Report any insurance received for the damaged property. Insurance payments reduce the recognized amount.
• The Claim Form asks for your unit number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, loss and insurance information, and a signed statement about residency and truthfulness.

Submitting a claim is the only way to receive a payment from this settlement.

• Complete and submit a Claim Form by November 22, 2026.
• You may submit it online, by email, or by mail.
• If the administrator finds a problem with the claim, it will give you 30 days to correct it. You may request reconsideration within 30 days after the decision.

The $8.45 million is the total settlement fund, not the amount available for direct payments to claimants.

• The defendants will fund the settlement with $8.45 million.
• Before payments are calculated, the fund is reduced by court-approved attorney fees, litigation and administration costs, taxes, and any opt-out amounts.
• The net fund includes a $1.3 million Displacement Pool; the remaining amount is the Property Loss Pool.

Opting out means leaving the settlement. Objecting means telling the court why you believe the settlement is unfair while remaining in the class.

• You may ask to be excluded by mailing or emailing a written request by November 22, 2026. If you do, you will not receive settlement money, but you keep any right to sue the defendants separately about the fire.
• If you stay in the class, you may send a written objection by November 22, 2026. You must still file a Claim Form to be paid.
• If you do nothing, you receive no payment and give up the right to sue the defendants and released parties over fire-related claims.

The hearing date is not a payment date. The notice says the hearing may be moved or held remotely.

• The hearing is scheduled for January 5, 2027, at 1:30 p.m. EST.
• It is scheduled at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in Atlanta, before Judge Leigh Martin May.
• You do not have to attend. A person who made a timely objection may ask to speak.
• Payments can be made only after final approval, any appeals are resolved, and claims are processed.