Judge Kimberly J. Mueller of the Eastern District of California approved a settlement of a class action lawsuit on behalf of a nationwide class of owners and lessees of 2006–2011 Honda Civics with rear drum brakes. Plaintiffs Stacie Zakskorn, Javier Hidalgo, and Rachelle Schreiber alleged that these vehicles had a defective braking system, causing the front brake pads to wear prematurely. Because of the defect, the brake pads required replacement approximately every 7,500 to 15,000 …
Caddell & Chapman represented current and former workers at American Airlines who were members of the Transport Workers Union (“TWU”) and accepted early separation offers in connection with American’s bankruptcy. TWU decided not to distribute any share of American equity that it received on behalf of its members in connection with the bankruptcy to those members who had accepted early separation. Plaintiffs alleged that their exclusion from any share in the equity was arbitrary, discriminatory, …
What’s a corporate defendant to do when a class-action consumer plaintiff has it dead to rights? When a complaint clearly shows that the consumer has a valid claim and that thousands of others are in the same situation?
One strategy is to make an offer of settlement to the class representative. If the class representative accepts, his or her claim will be moot, and someone else will have to represent the class. Since most people …
Caddell & Chapman obtained certification of a class of Arizona State Farm insureds in a class action lawsuit over State Farm’s failure to reimburse them for repairs to leaking polybutylene (PB) pipe in their homes. Plaintiffs alleged that State Farm breached their insurance policies by failing to pay the costs incurred in tearing out and replacing the part of the structure necessary to replace the PB piping after the plumbing system developed leaks.
Caddell & Chapman prevailed …
