$2.6M Oklahoma Earthquake Oil and Gas Settlement, Are You Eligible for Property Damage Compensation? Deadline to Claim is July 28

The Oklahoma Earthquake Class Action Settlement is a property damage lawsuit in which Oklahoma real estate owners whose property was damaged by earthquakes between January 19, 2019, and the effective date can receive compensation by filing a claim before July 28, 2026, at OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com. A total of $2.6 million in class settlements have been reached against Freedom Energy, Montclair, New Dominion, and H&P — four oil and gas companies alleged to have operated wastewater disposal wells that contributed to causing the 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma on February 2, 2024, and other earthquakes across the state. Payments vary based on verified property damage and your county location. You must file a claim with documentation to receive anything.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$2,600,000 total (Freedom Energy, Montclair, New Dominion, and H&P settlements combined)
Claim Deadline	July 28, 2026 — must file or receive nothing
Who Qualifies	Oklahoma property owners who suffered earthquake damage between January 19, 2019, and the Effective Date
Payout Per Person	Varies — proportional to verified, documented property damage; pro-rata if total claims exceed fund
Proof Required	Yes — repair estimates, bills, photographs, and proof of property ownership
Settlement Status	Proposed — pending final court approval
Administrator	Salzman Class Action Settlement Administrator
Official Website	OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com
Last Updated	April 23, 2026

Current Status & What Happens Next

• The $2.6 million settlements against Freedom Energy, Montclair, New Dominion, and H&P were announced February 28, 2026, by Poynter Law Group. Final court approval is pending.
• The Notice of Intent to Appear deadline was March 30, 2026 — for class members who wished to speak at the approval hearing.
• The claim filing deadline is July 28, 2026 — you must submit a claim form with documentation or you will receive no payment.
• If you previously filed a claim in the earlier $555,000 Salzman settlement (Spess Oil, Circle 9, Culbreath), you do not need to refile — but you may amend your claim by submitting a new form with updated documentation before July 28, 2026.

What Is the Oklahoma Earthquake Lawsuit About? Salzman et al. v. Freedom et al., No. CJ-2024-0043

Plaintiffs in Salzman et al. v. Freedom et al., Case No. CJ-2024-0043, filed this class action in the District Court of Lincoln County, Oklahoma, alleging that multiple oil and gas companies operated wastewater disposal wells whose underground injection activities contributed to causing earthquakes across the state. Wastewater disposal wells — also called injection wells — are used by oil and gas operators to pump used water and other byproducts deep underground. Scientists and regulators have linked high-volume injection well activity in Oklahoma to a dramatic rise in induced seismic events — human-triggered earthquakes — since 2009.

The $2.6 million in settlements resolves claims against Freedom Energy, Montclair, New Dominion, and H&P arising from earthquakes that occurred between January 19, 2019, and the Effective Date, with epicenters within the State of Oklahoma — including but not limited to the 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma, on February 2, 2024. The settling defendants dispute and deny all allegations. Both sides agreed to resolve these claims to avoid the cost and uncertainty of trial. You can read more about [how induced seismicity property damage lawsuits work in Oklahoma and other states] on AllAboutLawyer.com.

This $2.6 million round of settlements builds on an earlier round in the same case. The court approved a prior $555,000 settlement following a final hearing held on October 20, 2025, resolving claims against Spess Oil Company, Circle 9 Resources, and Culbreath Oil & Gas Co., Inc. The new settlements against four additional defendants nearly quadruple the total compensation available to Oklahoma property owners in this litigation.

Who Is Eligible for the Oklahoma Earthquake Settlement?

You may be eligible if you owned or have had an interest in residential or commercial real estate properties within the borders of Oklahoma between January 19, 2019, through the Effective Date and suffered earthquake damages from earthquakes near Prague, Oklahoma, or other seismicity in other areas of Oklahoma.

You may qualify if:

• You owned or held an interest in real property in Oklahoma — residential, commercial, or land — between January 19, 2019, and the Effective Date of the settlement
• Your property suffered documented damage from earthquakes, foreshocks, or aftershocks with epicenters in Oklahoma during that period
• You can provide evidence linking your damage to a qualifying seismic event — including the February 2, 2024, magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Prague and other covered events
• You are an individual, homeowner, business, municipality, county government, or tribal government with a qualifying property interest

Eligibility extends statewide across Oklahoma — but your county location determines which geographic payment zone applies to your claim.

How Much Can You Get from the Oklahoma Earthquake Settlement?

Payments vary for every claimant based on the extent of verified, documented damage — there is no fixed amount per person. The settlement fund uses a two-zone geographic system that allocates money based on areas of highest seismic activity.

Zone A — 90% of the settlement fund Zone A includes Lincoln, Payne, Logan, Oklahoma, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Okfuskee, and Creek counties — the areas that experienced the greatest concentration of reported earthquake events during the covered period. If your damaged property sits in one of these nine counties, your claim draws from the larger pool.

Zone B — 10% of the settlement fund Zone B covers all remaining Oklahoma counties. Claims in Zone B draw from the smaller pool, reflecting lower recorded seismic activity in those areas.

If total claims fall below the available settlement fund, participants will receive full or near-full compensation for their documented damages. If claims exceed the total fund, payments will be distributed on a proportional basis according to verified damage amounts. Submitting thorough documentation — repair bills, contractor estimates, photographs — directly increases your chance of maximum recovery.

Step-by-Step: How to File Your Oklahoma Earthquake Claim Form

⚠️ You must file a claim with supporting documentation. Doing nothing means no payment.

1. Visit the official settlement website at OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com to file online or download a paper form
2. Enter your property details — address, county, and your ownership interest during the class period (January 19, 2019 – Effective Date)
3. Identify your qualifying earthquake — state the specific seismic event that caused your damage, including the February 2, 2024, Prague earthquake or another covered Oklahoma event
4. Attach your documentation — repair estimates, contractor bills, receipts, and photographs showing earthquake-related property damage; self-prepared notes alone are insufficient
5. State your sum certain amount — your claim must specify the dollar amount you are seeking, not to exceed your documented repair costs
6. Submit online at OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com or mail your completed form postmarked no later than July 28, 2026, to: Salzman Class Action Settlement, Attn: Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132
7. Keep your confirmation — save your submission confirmation or mailing receipt as proof of timely filing

Note: If you previously submitted a claim in the earlier $555,000 Salzman settlement, you do not need to refile — but you may amend your claim by submitting a new form with updated documentation by July 28, 2026.

Estimated time to complete: 15–30 minutes, plus time to gather documentation.

Important Deadlines & Dates

Milestone	Date
Class Period Begins	January 19, 2019
Prague, Oklahoma 5.1M Earthquake	February 2, 2024
Lawsuit Filed	2024 (Case No. CJ-2024-0043, District Court of Lincoln County, OK)
Earlier Settlement ($555K) — Final Approval	October 20, 2025
Earlier Settlement Claim Deadline	January 25, 2026
$2.6M Settlement Announced	February 28, 2026
Notice of Intent to Appear Deadline	March 30, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline ($2.6M settlements)	July 28, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	TBD — court date not confirmed in available sources as of April 23, 2026
Expected Payment Date	TBD — approximately 30 days after final approval and resolution of any objections

Oklahoma Earthquake Settlement: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a settlement claim? 

No. Class Counsel — Scott Poynter of Poynter Law Group, along with attorneys from Durbin Larimore & Bialick, Steidley & Neal, and the Law Office of Alvin R. Wright — already represent the class. You can file your claim directly at OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com at no cost. If you want independent legal advice about your specific damage claim, you may hire your own attorney at your own expense.

Is this settlement legitimate?

 Yes. The $2.6 million settlements were announced by Poynter Law Group on February 28, 2026, via PR Newswire, and the official settlement website at OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com is operated by the court-appointed Settlement Administrator. The underlying case, Salzman et al. v. Freedom et al., Case No. CJ-2024-0043, is pending in the District Court of Lincoln County, Oklahoma.

When will I receive my payment? 

Payments will be distributed approximately 30 days after the Settlement Administrator resolves any objections or evidence deficiencies, or the court grants final approval — whichever is later. No payment date has been confirmed as of April 23, 2026. Monitor OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com for hearing date and approval updates.

What if I missed the earlier $555,000 claim deadline of January 25, 2026?

 The January 25, 2026 deadline applied only to the earlier settlement against Spess Oil, Circle 9 Resources, and Culbreath Oil & Gas. The new $2.6 million settlements against Freedom Energy, Montclair, New Dominion, and H&P carry a separate deadline of July 28, 2026. If your property suffered earthquake damage, you may still be eligible to file a claim in this new round even if you missed the earlier deadline.

Will my settlement payment affect my taxes?

 Possibly. Settlement payments for property damage reimbursement may be treated as a return of lost property value and may not be fully taxable, but tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and how payments are characterized in the final settlement agreement. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation.

What proof do I need to file a claim?

 Claimants must provide evidence of damages suffered as a result of covered Oklahoma earthquakes, including repair estimates and bills. Supporting materials can include contractor invoices, repair receipts, photographs showing structural damage, and documentation of property ownership during the class period. Your claim must state a specific dollar amount not exceeding your documented repair costs.

What are the settling companies accused of doing?

 Plaintiffs alleged that the settling defendants were responsible for induced seismic activity through deep-well injection of wastewater — a process in which used water from oil and gas extraction is pumped underground into disposal wells. According to the plaintiffs, this injection activity allegedly contributed to causing the 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma on February 2, 2024, and other earthquakes across the state. All settling defendants deny these allegations.

Sources & References

• PR Newswire — Official Settlement Announcement, February 28, 2026: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/if-you-suffered-damage-from-the-earthquakes-in-oklahoma-between-january-29-2019-and-the-effective-date-you-may-be-eligible-for-a-payment-from-a-class-action-settlement-302697522.html
• Official Settlement Website: https://www.OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com
• District Court of Lincoln County, Oklahoma — Case No. CJ-2024-0043
• Poynter Law Group — Class Counsel: https://poynterlawgroup.com/salzman-vs-freedomenergy

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official PR Newswire settlement announcement dated February 28, 2026, and the official settlement website (OklahomaEarthquakesLawsuits2024.com) on April 23, 2026. Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. The $2.6 million settlements are pending final court approval, and no payments will be issued until the court grants final approval. For advice regarding your particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.