How should I contact former coworkers after a contentious dismissal without it seeming like "Damage Control"?

If you just want to stay in touch with them personally, that's one thing. Just drop them a note saying you enjoyed working with them, here's your personal contact info in case they don't have it, and you wish them well.

If you are trying to have the last word about your dismissal, don't. If they want to know details they can ask you, at which point you can say as much or as little as you like. If they don't ask, shoving it at them can feel vindictive.

If you just need to vent about it, find an uninvolved friend to vent to.

While I agree with the answers by both keshlam and Philip Kendal, I would go a step further. You say you have a good relationship with your colleagues, so it would be absolutely natural for you to ask to meet up with them all, together or separately, in order to say goodbye and maybe keep in touch. Contact them and ask to meet for lunch.

The way to "not make it look like damage control" is to meet them and not talk about your dismissal. They may want to know, and there is nothing wrong with asking what they have been told, but you really don't want to get into the details. Saying "there's a lawsuit pending" will give them a significant amount of information without actually doing any damage. But say nothing else. And absolutely under no circumstances get angry or say anything that might be a rant or a vent.

How they respond to your invitation will tell you quite a bit about what they have been told.

However be aware that this is going to be difficult. You are probably very angry, and the temptation to vent to your former colleagues will be very strong indeed. If you can't resist it then don't do it. Also if your lawyer doesn't agree with me on this then listen to your lawyer, not to me.