Proposed $8.45 million settlement reached in 2023 Atlanta apartment fire lawsuit

The victims of a 2023 Atlanta apartment fire and the owners of the Reserve at LaVista Walk apartments have agreed to an $8.45 million class-action settlement.

"It has been extremely grueling and traumatizing and difficult to go through... so we might be able to find some sort of closure, some sort of healing," said Alyssa Green, a former resident of the complex.

CBS News Atlanta looked into what options renters have if they believe safety concerns are being ignored. Fire officials said renters should first report potential fire hazards to property management. They said if the problems are not fixed, renters should contact the local fire marshal. Green also encourages renters to document their concerns.

"Yes, yes. That is also very important, documenting things that you might think are not right," she said.

The lawsuit names the companies that owned and managed the Reserve at LaVista Walk apartments as defendants, including LHNH Lavista LLC, Silverpoint Management, LLC, and Avenium Group, LLC.

The parties to the lawsuit do not agree on who was at fault. The lawsuit accuses the apartment owners of negligence. The defendants contend the fire was caused by a criminal act by a tenant and deny liability.

"It has been extremely grueling and traumatizing and difficult to go through. So, we are all excited for this to be over with. So, we might be able to find some sort of closure, some sort of healing," said Green.

CBS News Atlanta reached out to an attorney representing the apartment owners for comment but had not heard back before our deadline. A federal judge has not yet decided whether to grant preliminary approval of the proposed settlement.