Pulse victims’ estates are set to receive $350,000 each
Pulse victims’ estates are to receive $350,000 each from the OneOrlando fund which raised nearly $30 million.
The families and partners of the 49 victims of the Orlando massacre will receive the donations raised following the attack.
An official from the OneOrlando fund revealed that at least half of the victims family members and partners are fighting over the claim to the $29.5 million fund.
The fund recieved donations from 150,000 individuals and companies in more than 120 countries.
OneOrlando Board Chair Alex Martins says if the disputes aren’t resolved, the cases will be sent to probate court for settlement.
Martins says 37 injured people will each receive $65,000 to $300,000, depending on how long they were hospitalised. A further 31 injured people who required outpatient treatment each will get $35,000.
$25,000 will be donated to people who were at the club, but weren’t injured.
“We do have a number of disputes amongst families of the dead,” said Martins, “It’s parents in dispute with a partner, who perhaps they didn’t know, or it’s estranged parents, claiming each one of them should receive the funds.”
Funds will not be distributed until the disputes are resolved.
44 claims to the fund were rejected on the grounds that fund administrators were unable to confirm that the applicant was in the club, there were no records of applicants being hospitalised, or duplicate applications were received.
A survivor of the attack, Jillian Amador, asked a judge on Tuesday for a second time to issue a temporary stop to the distribution of the money until an audit is conducted. The judge denied holding an emergency hearing but scheduled a hearing for next week.
Amador, fled the nightclub but saw her friends get killed, requested the audit of the OneOrlando Fund before the money is distributed so that there is little recourse if errors are found later.
Officials of the fund have confirmed that an audit has been planned for after the money is distributed.
The fund was created by the City of Orlando, Equality Florida, the LGBT community centre of Central florida and the National Centre for Victims of Crime.
A group of kids sold lemonade at New York Pride to raise money to support Orlando victims.
