The proposed $75,000,000.00 Northrop Grumman settlement paid Canoga Park home and townhome owners for alleged groundwater contamination: an estimated $7,494 to $21,110 per property for current owners, or $444 if they sold after July 1, 2024, with proof of ownership. Claims closed on October 10, 2026 and the court has not granted final approval.
Benefit Summary
Former Owners: Estimated $444 per eligible home.
Current Owners — Sub-Area A: Estimated $21,110 per eligible home.
Current Owners — Sub-Area B: Estimated $16,037 per eligible home.
Current Owners — Sub-Area C: Estimated $7,494 per eligible home.
Payments come from the $75,000,000.00 settlement fund and may change after approved deductions.
Available Awards
Former Owners: Estimated $444 per eligible home; Current Owners — Sub-Area A: Estimated $21,110 per eligible home; Current Owners — Sub-Area B: Estimated $16,037 per eligible home; Current Owners — Sub-Area C: Estimated $7,494 per eligible home
Who Is Included
The settlement covers current owners of single-family homes or townhomes in the Class Area and certain former owners who owned one on July 1, 2024, then sold it before the notice date. Employees of the Defendants are excluded. The applicable Class Area and sub-area are identified by the notice map and address list.
- Proof required: A signed Claim Form and proof of ownership are required. The notice does not identify what specific ownership documents are acceptable.
Claim and Payment Information
- Claim method: Mail or electronic submission through the Settlement Website
- Claim deadline: 2026-10-10
- Instructions: Complete, sign, and submit the Claim Form directly to the Class Administrator with the required proof of ownership. Do not submit a claim through a third party or claims aggregator.
Questions & Answers
Can I seek a payment if I do not think my property was damaged?
- You may still be included even if you do not believe the home was damaged. The notice says eligibility is based on the type of home, its location in the Class Area, and when you owned it—not on your own belief that it was harmed.
- You must still submit a timely, valid claim to seek payment.
What do I need to do to submit a claim?
- Complete and sign the Claim Form, include proof of ownership, and submit it directly to the Class Administrator.
- You can mail the form or submit it electronically using the login information on the mailed Claim Form. A mailed claim must be postmarked by October 10, 2026; an electronic claim must be received by that date.
- Claims sent through a third party, such as a claims aggregator, are not valid.
What proof of ownership is required?
- The notice requires proof of ownership with a signed Claim Form.
- It does not list the specific documents that qualify as proof in the notice text. Follow the instructions provided with the Claim Form for the required ownership documentation.
What happens if my home has more than one owner?
- There is only one payment for each eligible home, not a separate payment for every co-owner.
- If more than one co-owner submits a valid claim, the administrator will issue one check payable to all co-owners. The co-owners must work out how to divide it; the settlement does not provide a process to resolve their disagreement.
If a home was sold after July 1, 2024, can both the former and current owner claim?
- A former owner who owned an eligible home on July 1, 2024 and sold it before the notice date may claim from the $100,000 Former Owners pool.
- The current owner may separately claim the payment allocated to that home's sub-area. In other words, a sale after July 1, 2024 does not make the former owner's claim replace the current owner's claim.
- Both people must meet the applicable requirements and submit valid claims.
Why might my payment be different from the estimate?
- The estimated amounts are not guaranteed. The final amount depends on court-approved fees, costs, service awards, administration costs, and the number of valid claims.
- The $75 million fund also pays approved attorneys' fees and costs, service awards, and administration expenses before the remaining proceeds are allocated to class members.
- The notice says no part of the settlement fund returns to the defendants.
When could payments be sent?
- Payment is not due simply because the claim deadline or hearing date passes. The court must approve the settlement, and any appeals must be resolved.
- The defendants must fund the settlement within 30 days after the Effective Date, a term defined in the Settlement Agreement. The administrator will then make reasonable efforts to issue eligible payments within 45 days after that date.
- The notice warns that appeals can take a year or longer.
What if I do not cash my settlement check?
- A settlement check is valid for 180 days from its mailing date.
- If it is not cashed, the administrator will try to find you and send a replacement check that expires after 90 days.
- If you cannot be located within the stated period, the uncashed money may be redistributed to eligible class members who timely cashed their checks. After one redistribution, remaining money goes to a court-approved cy pres beneficiary.
What rights do I give up if I remain in the settlement?
- If you stay in the settlement, you release certain property-damage and vapor-intrusion mitigation claims related to the facts alleged in this case, whether or not you submit a claim.
- The release includes unknown claims through a waiver of California Civil Code section 1542 and similar laws.
- The settlement does not release claims for personal injury, wrongful death, or medical monitoring.
How do I opt out, and what does opting out change?
- To leave the settlement, mail a signed written exclusion request to the Class Administrator with the required case statement, your contact information, and the address of the eligible property.
- The request must be postmarked by September 25, 2026. You cannot opt out by phone or email.
- If you opt out, you receive no payment and cannot object, but you are not bound by the settlement's outcome.
How can I object or ask to speak at the final approval hearing?
- You may object only if you remain in the settlement class. Your written objection must be mailed to or filed with the court, with copies mailed to Class Counsel and Defense Counsel, by September 25, 2026.
- The objection must include the case heading, your contact and property information, signature, reasons and supporting facts, and any evidence you want the court to consider.
- If you want to ask to speak at the hearing, include a Notice of Intention to Appear in your objection.
Other Important Dates
- Exclusion deadline: 2026-09-25
- Objection deadline: 2026-09-25
- Final approval hearing: November 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT
- Hearing location: United States Courthouse, 350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Courtroom 5B
Case Details
- Total settlement fund: $75,000,000.00
- Case name: Behar v. Northrop Grumman Corporation, et al.
- Case number: 2:21-cv-03946-HDV-SK
- Court: United States District Court for the Central District of California
- Administrator: A.B. Data, Ltd.
- Official Settlement Website: https://www.CanogaParkClassAction.com
Sources
Official Settlement Website
Claim form, FAQ, deadlines, administrator information
Visit Site →Claim form, FAQ, deadlines, administrator information
Official Settlement Notice (PDF)
Court-approved notice describing eligibility and benefits
Open PDF →Court-approved notice describing eligibility and benefits