Court Notifies Hurricane Victims of Class Action Settlement

Anyone owning, managing, or leasing property that was affected by flooding due to the levee failures during Hurricane Katrina and/or Rita may be able entitled to claim some money under a proposed class action settlement.

The United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, began sending out notices about a proposed partial class action settlement on January 5, 2009. The lawsuit alleges that flood and water control structures within the Parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard, Louisiana failed, and were overtopped during the hurricanes because they were not properly designed, inspected, and maintained.

The lawsuit includes anyone who, at the time of Hurricane Katrina and/or Rita: (1) lived or was located in the Parishes listed above (“Hurricane Affected Geographic Area) or (2) owned, leased, possessed, used, or had an interest in any homes, businesses or other property in the Hurricane Affected Geographic Area and had any losses, damages, and or injuries from Hurricane Katrina and/or Rita that resulted from any alleged levee failure and or waters that originated from or that came over, under or through any of the levees controlled by the Parishes listed above.

In addition to the mailing, notices informing Settlement Class members of their legal rights will also appear in local newspapers leading up to hearings on April 2, 2009. Because the hearings could be moved to a different date or time without notice, commercial property owners and managers should monitor www.LeveeBreachClass.com for any changes.

Source: United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana