Make $$$ from Class Action Lawsuits (Everything you need to know)
Disclaimer/Preface: This post may highlight open settlements that claims can currently be filed for. Just because a case is featured in this post, it does not necessarily mean that you will qualify to file a claim, regardless if proof supporting your claim is necessary or not. Do NOT file fradulent claims for settlements that you do not qualify for. Realize that you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. The outcomes for perjury can result in up to 5 years in prison as well as fees.
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Class Action Lawsuits (Explained)
In this post we'll discuss what a class action lawsuit is, current open settlements (that you can file a claim for), as well as some FAQs/information that is important to be aware of when dealing with Class Actions suits.
What is a Class Action Lawsuit?
To explain this in ELI5 terms, a class action is basically when a big bad corporation does something bad, and then a lot of people want to sue the big bad corporation for money. When a class action begins, a small group (or sometimes even an individual) will essentially pursue legal action claiming that they have been harmed in some way or another. They'll then try to seek money damages, while also representing the entire class (the class in this case is everyone who also was harmed by this corporation).
Not all Class Actions are against major corporations, but these are usually the ones that people care about or pay attention to.
So here's an example of what might be considered a class action lawsuit.
- Yahoo says that their site is super secure and nobody can steal your data!
- People use Yahoo and give Yahoo their data, knowing it's safe and secure!
- Yahoo has data breach oops
- People are mad that their data is compromised, so someone starts a Class Action suit, seeking damages for everyone who was affected by the data breach.
- Yahoo owes money.
In a nutshell, that's really most of what you'd really need to know about about Class Action lawsuits. The one thing that might be interesting to people is the fact that you don't have to go along with a class action settlement. If you don't agree with the settlement, you're allowed to sue the defendant yourself. This is unrealistic for most people and is usually not worth your time.
In any case, if you find a settlement that you qualify for, this is a very simple source of beermoney (although it takes a really long time to receive any financial compensation).
Current Open Class Action Settlements
TopClassActions is a great site and resource for everything about class action suits.
Just so you can get an example of what Class Action suits are like, I'm going to be listing a few open cases that can currently be claimed if you qualify. The ones listed here are some of the bigger ones that will apply to most people reading this, but it might be worth checking here for other open settlements. There are a lot of open settlements outside of the few listed here. REMINDER: DO NOT claim a settlement if you do not qualify.
Information on how to file claims in the following section.
Chipotle Non-GMO Settlement
What's the case?: Between 2015-2016, the plaintiffs claim that Chipotle's claims that their food was exclusively and entirely non-GMO, and they claim that the marketing was misleading and inaccurate. To settle the claim, Chipotle has agreed to pay $6.5 million (while denying any wrongdoing).
What's the settlement?: $6.5 million in total will be paid by Chipotle. Eligible class members (people who purchased food or beverages containing meat/dairy from Chipotle btewen April 27, 2015 and June 30, 2016) can claim up to 15 meals, with a max award of $2 per meal. Each household may claim up to 5 meals without any proof of purchase, while the other 10 will require receipts of Chipotle purchases between the time period. Maximum of $30 from up to 15 claims. Note that the $6.5 million is the total and comes out of legal costs as well. The $2 per meal maximum is unlikely to occur depending on the number of people who file a claim. Expect to receive significantly less than this.
Where can I claim it?: Here. Deadline is May 30, 2020.
Kotex Tampons Settlement
What's the case?: Kotex has agreed on a $7 million settlement for allegations that some of their tampons would fall apart or unravel once used. Class members who used particular "U by Kotex" tampons between March 8, 2013 and November 19, 2019 will qualify for the settlement. (Full list of qualifying products are listed in the link above).
What's the settlement?: You're able to claim up to $6 per box purchased, up to $30 in total without proof of purchase. With proof of purchase you can qualify for the full retail cost paid above the $30 limit. If the $7 million limit is reached, the settlement will be reduced proportionally.
Where can I claim it?: Here. Deadline is August 18, 2020.
Checkers Unwanted Text Settlement.
This one is a bit different than the other two, in the sense that no purchase was even required to qualify, but rather a text that you unwantingly received.
What's the case?: Checkers Drive In sent several advertising texts to users between December 21, 2013 and March 8, 2019 without the present opportunity to opt-out of the texts. This violates the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) enacted in 1991.
What's the Settlement?: To resolve this case, Checkers is offering up two $5 vouchers, good for purchases at any Checkers or Rally's restaurants for anyone who was affected. In order to qualify you'll need to provide the phone numbers used between December 21, 2013 and March 8, 2019.
Where can I claim it?: Here. Deadline is July 27, 2020.
How To Claim Settlements?
So, now we've talked about a few open settlements that can be claimed, but how does one actually go about filing a claim?
It's actually incredibly simple in most cases, and that's why this is such a simple opportunity if you find a settlement that you qualify for.
The first thing you'll need to do is find the settlement claim page on the case's website. Chances are you can find this website very easily either through a simple google search, or if you're looking for the case on TopClassActions, you should be able to locate the claim form on the page of the settlement by clicking on the button that says "CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM". From there on, you'll just need to provide some information. Usually your name, email, address, and in most cases, your PayPal email and any supporting proof that you have to submit, unless proof is not required, in which case it's really just that simple.
Once you've submitted a claim, just wait. Settlements usually take months to pay out, but it feels good to finally receive compensation.
FAQs
Class Actions can often seem daunting and complex with lots of confusing nonsensical jargon. Here are some answers to questions that you might have.
Q: US Only?
Short A: Not entirely, but mostly.
Long A: America is the country that loves to sue for any and all reasons, so it only makes sense that Class Actions are typically also a US only thing, however the idea of Class Action lawsuits has become a much larger thing in Canada as well as some European countries, according to Wikipedia at least.
Q: I don't qualify, but no proof is required. Can I still submit a claim?
Short A: No.
Long A: No. If you file a claim where you lie about your qualifications, you're committing perjury, which is illegal. You're also hurting the settlements for the people who actually are class members who qualify to file a claim.
Q: How long does it take to receive compensation?
A: A long time.
Long A: Seriously, don't expect to file a claim and see a check in the mail or a PayPal notification anytime soon. Class action lawsuits already take about 2-3 years on average from start to finish, and by the time that you're filing the claim, there's usually still about 6-9 months of additional waiting until you receive any compensation.
Q: I thought my claim was supposed to get me $x, but I only got $y????
Long A: When a settlement is determined, there's a cap listed, so if we take the Chipotle example from above, the limit is $6.5 million, regardless of how many people claim. That's why they list a $2 MAX per meal. With the Chipotle example, the attorney fees and costs also come out of that (Attorney fees requested were 30%, so that alone brings the pool down to $4.5 million. After factoring in other costs, it makes sense that you wouldn't receive the full $30 for your 15 meals. In fact, some settlements even avoid mentioning a dollar amount that you'll receive, but rather opt to say that the entire amount will simply be split between everyone affected.
Conclusion
Alright, so here we have it. This should be everything you need to know about Class Action Lawsuits. While you might not qualify for every settlement you find, most people will qualify for settlements here and there, and even if each one only pays out a few dollars, it's very quick and easy to file a claim. From time to time you might get lucky and find a settlement that has higher compensation, which always feels good. It's become a ritual of mine to check all open settlements once every few weeks. It's also worth pointing out that almost all settlements have a very large time period for you to submit a claim, so it's not crucial that your timing is pristine.
Please feel free to ask any questions and I'll try to beef up this FAQ if there are any good questions.
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/beermoney/comments/grq6a6/make_from_class_action_lawsuits_everything_you/
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