U.S. District Court Judge lights up Rhode Island courtroom with his approval of a $176 million settlement to victims of the Station nightclub fire. Judge applauds mass tort plaintiff’s lawyers for their hard work in reaching a settlement for the victims.

Rhode Island personal injury attorney alerts- A judge awards a $176 million settlement to the victims of the fatal Station nightclub fire.

Providence, RI–Federal judge approves $176 million settlement for victims of the 4th deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history on Thursday, January 7, 2010 as reported by the Providence Journal. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ronald R. Lagueux paves the way for some 300 victims to receive compensation for the damages and injuries suffered in the deadly 2003 Station nightclub fire. Numerous victims suffered terrible burn and inhalation injuries and 100 people died in the nightclub fire.

Probate judges must approve the settlements for the 100 victims who died in the fire and their minor dependents. Lagueaux praised Citizens Bank, the repository for the settlement agreement fund, for agreeing to hold the $176 million settlement fund without charging a fee. The FDIC insured Rhode Island court settlement agreement is being paid by 65 defendants who agreed to pay instead of going through a lengthy and painful jury trial. The federal judge further went on to applaud the mass tort trial lawyers representing the victims of this terrible tragedy. The Senior U.S. District Court Judge approved a report presented by court-appointed special master outlining the victim’s injuries. The special master’s report suggested allocations of larger amounts of the settlement fund to victims who suffered the worst burns. The injured victims’ attorneys will receive a contingency fee of one-third of the settlement, which equates to $59 million of the $176 million allocated to the suffering victims of the fatal fire.

Rhode Island personal injury attorney news covering mass tort courtroom settlements.