Your claim required ownership documents plus damage documents. A deed or property-tax record tied you to the parcel, while repair bills, receipts, photos, and a link to a quake proved the loss. The lawsuits blamed wastewater-disposal wells for contributing to the shaking.
These wells inject oil-field fluids deep underground for disposal. Poynter Law Group announced $555,000 in settlements against Spess Oil, Circle 9 Resources and Culbreath Oil & Gas. Poynter Law Group ties the claims to quakes including the Feb. 2, 2024 Prague event, as stated in the Poynter settlement notice.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Chinesewire — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the official notice from Openclassactions — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Who could claim?
- What proved you owned the property?
- What proved earthquake damage?
- How were claims filed and paid?
Who could claim?
OpenClassActions identifies the case as Salzman et al. v. Freedom et al., No. CJ-2024-0043 in Lincoln County District Court.
It covered Oklahoma quakes from Jan. 19, 2019 through the settlement effective date. Lawyer Monthly describes the proposed class as owners or interest-holders of Oklahoma homes or commercial buildings. It also included qualifying municipal, county and tribal governments with quake, foreshock or aftershock damage to property.
What proved you owned the property?
Lawyer Monthly reports that claimants had to show membership with a deed or property-tax record, as explained in the Lawyer Monthly settlement guide. The document had to tie you to the damaged Oklahoma parcel during the class period.
Match name, address or parcel number, and date across papers. Keep the copy that shows ownership during the damage window, not only current ownership.
- deed with owner name and property description
- property-tax record with parcel and tax year
What proved earthquake damage?
Claimants had to submit damage proof showing earthquake-caused loss. Lawyer Monthly and OpenClassActions list repair estimates or invoices, receipts, photographs, and linkage to a recognized seismic event. Linkage tied the repair to a covered seismic event.
Fox Weather, citing USGS data, reports a magnitude-5.1 quake near Prague around 11:30 p.m. CT on Feb. 2, 2024, in the Fox Weather quake report.
- contractor estimate or paid invoice with date and address
- receipts for materials or emergency repairs
- dated photos showing damage before and after repair
- note naming the event, such as the Prague earthquake
How were claims filed and paid?
A timely Claim Form was the required vehicle. It could be filed online or mailed to the settlement administrator. The deadline was Jan. 25, 2026, and that date has passed.
OpenClassActions reports that 90% of the net fund was assigned to specified Zone A counties. The remaining 10% covered claims elsewhere, with pro-rata cuts if approved claims exceeded funds, as detailed in the OpenClassActions settlement summary. Payment amounts depended on total approved losses in each pool. OpenClassActions notes the defendants denied wrongdoing.