First, my friend's daughter died during a seizure, 20 years after the accident. A lawyer can explain a Settlement Trust, and the many variations I found with a Google Search using the words "What is a Settlement Trust.?"

I understand it was fairly new (at least in New York State) in year 1991.

My understanding is that either at the trial (or more likely just before trial) the insurance company for the person driving the car with the two girls and/or the insurance company for the company whose vehicle was stopped in the middle of the road at a turn offered an amount of money that was accepted by the Plaintiffs; the money then went into this Trust.

You can find General Rules of a SMT [Settlement Managements Trust} on cptintitute.org that explains the responsibilities of the trustee.