Overview

• U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt granted preliminary approval, with the case set for a final approval hearing on March 2, 2026.
• The non-reversionary settlement totals $78.75 million and is expected to net about $50.6 million for roughly 38,000 properties, with Verita Global slated to administer claims if approved.
• Delta denied liability and cited an FAA investigation that it says cleared the crew, saying it settled to avoid the expense and uncertainty of continued litigation.
• Plaintiffs alleged trespass, nuisance, and negligence after Flight 89 dumped about 15,000 pounds of fuel at low altitude during an emergency return to LAX, and more than 50 people were treated for minor irritation.
• The deal caps more than five years of consolidated litigation, and plaintiffs’ counsel says it includes residue testing and property-clearance certificates to address lingering contamination concerns.