Five days of mediation sessions ended early this week when the remaining families of the victims of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster agreed to settle. If approved by the West Virginia court, this settlement marks the end of wrongful death and personal injury claims against Alpha Natural Resources, the owner of Massey Energy.

The details of the settlement agreement and the talks will remain confidential. Sources confirmed, however, that the families of the 29 miners who died as well as the seven miners injured -- or traumatized -- in the blast accepted some kind of compensation.

The settlement also completes part of Alpha's deal with the U.S. Department of Justice. Alpha agreed last month to pay restitution to the victims' families; in turn, the Justice Department agreeing not to pursue criminal charges against the corporation.

Alpha may have dodged corporate criminal liability, but Massey executives are not out of the woods yet -- not, at least, if the families have any say. An attorney who represents two of the families said that the settlement will help them move forward with their lives, but the settlement in no way means that justice has been served. "We believe somebody needs to go to prison," the attorney told the press.

The U.S. Attorney's office has not decided whether to file criminal charges against Massey executives and UBB mine managers.

Several families had settled with Massey last year. According to a company representative, Massey offered each family $3 million, twice the amount agreed to in Alpha's deal with the Justice Department.

The mediator comes from a firm that was involved with the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund as well as talks related to BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill.

Source: NPR.org, "Settlements Reached With Families Of W.Va. Miners," Howard Berkes, Jan. 10, 2012