A “claims-made” class action settlement allows the defendant to make a large amount of money “available” to class members, but in order for the members to collect, they must jump through the hoops of correctly filing claims. Because of the low response rate in such settlements, the defendants will end up paying much less than the funds made available. Indeed, of the $8.5 million made available …
Lawyers who won the massive $10.03 billion class-action settlement from Volkswagen Group over software that cheated on emissions tests now want their own payday: $175 million. The extraordinary sum requires extraordinary justification, and lead plaintiffs’ counsel Elizabeth Cabraser hopes her firm’s motion (PDF) on the matter, filed late last night with the judge, will do the trick. “The aggregate fees and costs award… is the equivalent of less than 2 percent of the monetary benefit provided to the Class, far below the …
A federal judge Tuesday refused to approve Sony’s proposed $19.5 million settlement of an antitrust class action accusing it of conspiring to fix prices of lithium ion batteries. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said at a Tuesday hearing for indirect purchasers of the batteries that she was frustrated that the fairness hearing had been set before she could …
The Libyan Investment Authority tried to resurrect its lawsuit against Goldman Sachs Group Inc. by adding new accusations of bribery, less than a month after a crushing courtroom defeat in London. But Judge Vivien Rose said at a hearing Friday that the appeal had no chance of success and ordered the sovereign wealth fund to pay Goldman at least 8.5 million pounds ($10.6 million) for legal …
U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, has sided with the findings of a court-appointed fee committee and awarded $555.2 million to the 107 law firms handling the multi-district litigation (MDL) suit against BP for its role in the Deepwater Horizon tragedy. The committee, whose creation both parties agreed to, …
Late Monday afternoon, U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver made public the “term sheets” in tentative class-action settlements with West Virginia American Water Co . and Eastman Chemical Co . aimed at resolving litigation over the role both companies played in the water crisis that followed the Jan. 9, 2014, chemical spill at Freedom Industries.
A pillow manufacturer that claimed its products could help people with fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a false advertising lawsuit filed by Alameda County and eight other California counties. Claims in advertising and testimonials by the …
Two companies targeted in a class-action lawsuit in connection with the 2014 chemical spill and water emergency that impacted approximately 300,000 residents in parts of nine West Virginia counties have agreed to pay $151 million in damages. Details of the settlements by the plaintiffs with West Virginia American Water Company and Eastman Chemical were released Monday …
Hundreds of thousands of Kanawha Valley residents, businesses and workers will receive up to $151 million in compensation from West Virginia American Water Co. and Eastman Chemical Co. …
The state of Connecticut has $1.5 million more to spend following a settlement with South Korean automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. misrepresented the mileage and fuel economy ratings for some of their model year 2011, 2012 and 2013 vehicles State Attorney General George Jepson said the $1,490,190 that Connecticut is getting is part of a $41.2 million settlement between 33 states …