Do VW, Wyndham or Others Owe You Money in a Class-Action? Find Out Here
Highlighted class action settlement awards this month range from $2 to $18,333 and include Corrosive motor oil, fake weight loss pills, irritating phone calls and unsubstantiated resort fees.
Volkswagen Suspension Defect
If you’re a current or former owner or lessee of a Volkswagen CC vehicle, model year 2009 through 2017, you could be eligible for a portion of a $57 million VW suspension defect class action settlement.
The VW suspension class action lawsuit alleged VW was aware the vehicles had a suspension alignment problem that caused tires to prematurely incur wear and tear. VW purportedly required drivers to pay out-of-pocket to repair the issue; however, VW’s recommendation to consumers to replace the tires allegedly could not solve the problem.
VW denies any wrongdoing, but agreed to the settlement to avoid continued costs of litigation.
Each qualifying class member may receive:
- Reimbursement for out-of-pocket tire expenses that occurred within 35,000 miles of use of the replaced tire. This includes up to $209 for each qualifying 235/45R17 replacement tire and up to $245 for each qualifying 235/40R18 replacement tire.
- Additional reimbursement of up to $56 per tire rotation for expenses incurred within 9,000 miles of tire replacement.
- Two free tire rotations from an authorized Volkswagen dealer.
In order to qualify for this class action settlement, you must present supporting documentation of repair expenses, including repair records, receipts, proof of payment, proof of compliance with maintenance requirements, etc.
File a claim by the April 25, 2020 deadline.
Wyndham Hotel Resort Fee
Did you book a stay at a Wyndham Hotel Group LLC property through the company’s website and pay a resort fee? You could be eligible for part of a $6 million class action settlement.
The hotel chain was accused of charging “resort fees” that didn’t cover any amenities or services. Instead, the fees were arbitrary amounts Wyndham deducted from room rate prices. That allowed the hotel to market the nightly room rate at a lower price than it actually was.
Wyndham agreed to the $6 million class action settlement to resolve the claims but did not admit to any liability or wrongdoing.
Class members include resort guests who booked a room at a Wyndham-affiliated hotel through the company’s website and completed their stay between June 6, 2010 and Oct. 18, 2019, and who paid a resort fee. Such a fee might have been referred to as a mandatory resort fee, service charge, hotel service fee, resort service fee or facility fee.
Eligible class members can receive a cash payment of $22 or 2,200 Wyndham Rewards Points. Regardless of the number of resort fees charged, each consumer may collect only one of the benefits under the settlement.
The deadline to submit a claim is March 16, 2020.
XCEL Motor Oil
If you bought XCEL premium motor oil between Dec. 1, 2014 and Oct. 11, 2019, you could be eligible for $2 to $5 per quart.
Amalie Oil Company agreed to a class action settlement resolving claims that its XCEL motor oil is obsolete, lacking essential additives that most of today’s motor oils contain. Without these additives, XCEL’s motor oil is considered a “base oil” that can result in catastrophic engine failure when used in some vehicles.
Proof of purchase is not required to receive up to $2 per quart for a maximum of three quarts, equal to $6 total. With a proof of purchase, customers may claim $5 per quart for up to four quarts for a maximum of $20 per household.
The deadline to file a claim form is Feb. 12, 2020.
Lipozene Weight Loss Pills
The Obesity Research Institute has agreed to pay $4.6 million to settle allegations the company deceived customers about the effectiveness of weight loss pills called Lipozene.
A Lipozene class action lawsuit contended the Obesity Research Institute and Continuity Products falsely advertised Lipozene as a “weight-loss breakthrough” to help people “get rid of pounds of body fat.”
The class action lawsuit alleges the product’s main ingredient is glucomannan, which is allegedly a substance not absorbed by the human body, rendering it a simple fiber pill with no weight-loss properties.
Defendants admitted to no wrongdoing but agreed to the $4.6 million class action lawsuit and to alter their marketing claims.
Class members include residents of the U.S. who bought Lipozene weight loss pills from Aug. 10, 2012 through Oct. 28, 2019. Those with a proof of purchase may claim up to four bottles for $15 per bottle, for a total of $60. Without a proof of purchase, class members may file a claim for one bottle for $7.
The deadline to file a claim for this settlement is Feb. 17, 2020.
Vivint Solar Robocalls
If you received an unsolicited robocall from Vivint Solar between July 1, 2014 and Nov. 8, 2019, you could be eligible for a portion of a $975,000 class action settlement.
Calls were allegedly made by an automatic telephone dialing system, artificial voice or prerecorded voice to consumers who did not provide prior consent to receive such calls. The phone calls started by the company identifying itself as “Smart Home Solar” and went on to include solicitations from Vivint Solar regarding their energy products and services.
The calls allegedly were in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which is a federal law protecting consumers from unsolicited telemarketing communications without providing prior express written consent to the businesses.
Vivint Solar has not admitted to wrongdoing, but agreed to the settlement, which will provide each class member with a payment estimated to be between $40 and $100. The amount will depend upon the funds remaining after attorneys’ fees, administrative costs, plaintiff awards and other costs are deducted.
The deadline to file a claim for this TCPA class action is Feb. 21, 2020.
New York City Jail Visitor Invasive Search
The City of New York has agreed to pay a $12.5 million class action settlement regarding allegations that visitors to the Department of Corrections were subject to unreasonable searches.
Class members include individuals who attempted to visit an inmate at a New York City Department of Correction facility between Nov. 23, 2012 and Oct. 30, 2019 and underwent an invasive search.
Visitors who were not found with contraband may receive around $4,000.
Visitors who were found with contraband one or more times and had their visits restricted or denied will reportedly receive payments limited to $500. For each payment of $500, another $500 of the settlement fund will be distributed among class members who were not found with contraband — that means some claimants might receive more than $4,000.
If more than $12.5 million in claims are received, each class member may receive less than $4,000.
The deadline to file a claim is April 27, 2020. That page also explains what does and does not qualify as an unreasonable search.
Canada Avandia Heart Injuries
Canadian residents who took Avandia may qualify for a portion of a settlement alleging the diabetes medicine might have life-threatening side effects. The settlement totals 6.75 million Canadian dollars.
Any Canadian resident who took Avandia for at least 30 days prior to December 2010 and then suffered a heart attack, heart failure, coronary bypass graft (CABG surgery) or percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement could be eligible for up to CA$18,333.
If such injuries occurred within one year of taking Avandia and the class member is now deceased, a representative of the estate is allowed to file a claim on the deceased persons behalf.
Depending upon the severity of the injuries caused by Avandia, each class member may qualify for CA3,333 to CA$18,333.
Learn more about qualifications and file a claim by the July 15, 2020 deadline.
