Camp LeJeune style lawsuits

[SecondCor521]

Hi all.

Curious about something.

You've probably seen advertisements on TV for the Camp LeJeune Justice Act and related legal proceedings.

There are a number of similar advertisements for things like Tylenol and autism, hernia mesh implants, Zantac, RoundUp, etc.

Have you, or anyone you know, qualified for any of these?

How did you/they pick a law firm?

Did you/they follow through?

Was it worth it?

 

[rk911]

we’ve received several pitches for class-action lawsuits in what amounts to trolling for class members. we bit on the pitch twice…class actions on Yahoo and Experian. we filled out the forms, answered the questions and met the deadlines. each filing was *years* ago. since then? crickets. i still have open files on each but i doubt we’ll ever see any $. since then i shred the trolling letters. IMHO the ONLY people seeing any $ in these class actions are the law firms. my advice? don’t waste your time.

 

[Koolau]

Hi all.

Curious about something.

You've probably seen advertisements on TV for the Camp LeJeune Justice Act and related legal proceedings.

There are a number of similar advertisements for things like Tylenol and autism, hernia mesh implants, Zantac, RoundUp, etc.

Have you, or anyone you know, qualified for any of these?

How did you/they pick a law firm?

Did you/they follow through?

Was it worth it?

I'm no expert. I have heard that many of these "law suites" are actually law firms that distribute the "pot" of money that has already been set aside by consent decree or other settlement with the "offender." Participating (IIRC) simply puts you in the que to receive some of the money if you meet certain (probably minimum) requirements. The more people that sign up, the less each person receives (and the more the law firm receives for their "efforts.") If someone wants to correct this, feel free as it's simply what I have heard. SO YMMV

 

[jim584672]

I know someone who got 911 victim compensation. Lawyer took 10%. Generally cancers get $250K, things like lungs get $90K. They cover any out of pocket costs for the condition.

https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/pdfs/coveredConditions/WTCHP_CoveredConditions_ENG-508.pdf

 

[Lewis Clark]

I participated in a class action lawsuit against Lumber Liquidators. All I received was a coupon for maybe $100 ... that could only be spent at Lumber Liquidators. Nearly useless unless I needed more flooring ... which I did not.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I participated in a class action lawsuit against Lumber Liquidators. All I received was a coupon for maybe $100 ... that could only be spent at Lumber Liquidators. Nearly useless unless I needed more flooring ... which I did not.

Yes, I've registered as a class member for a few consumer class action suits, and all I got was...well, I wish it was a stupid tee shirt, it was usually a credit for a company with whom I no longer had any business! The best I ever got was credit monitoring, which I wouldn't pay for but is nice to have.

 

[JoeWras]

I've been part of class actions that provide small coupons, I ignore those. However, some are worth it if there is money involved.

I've gotten 3 checks from class actions through the years:
- $5 against the cable company
- $73 against GM for ignition switch issues
- $170 against Invesco for some sort of failure of fiduciary duty

The last two were worth the paperwork. I spent about $200 to fix my car, so the $73 didn't make me whole, but it was a help - even if received 10 years later. The payment as allowed whether it was self repair or not.

I have no idea what was going on with Invesco. It was a settlement from a long closed account. It was an IRA account, so it took some gymnastics to properly get it credited to my new Vanguard IRA account.

There's a current class action against Whirlpool regarding a dishwasher. I fixed mine myself. That makes me ineligible. The payment could be pretty good from $50 to $200.

Same with Subaru headlights. Fixed them myself. No payment.

 

[CaptTom]

I'd ask myself if the punitive aspect was justified. Was the company really negligent or malicious? If so, I'd be 100% on board, even knowing the lawyers would receive the bulk of the settlement. If I considered it frivolous, I wouldn't participate.

For example, I once owned a vehicle which was in the class that was alleged to have problems with a stuck accelerator pedal. Most of the news stores I read seemed like pure theatrics on the part of some driver trying to justify why they got in an accident. If my floor mat ever got stuck behind the pedal, I'd just reach down and pull it out. I've done it before on previous vehicles, and I've never felt the need to sue anyone over it.

 

[Aerides]

It's my understanding that a Class Action is good for one scenario:

Individual claimants have a low chance at a claim, or a low payout if they win - thus making it unattractive for a traditional suit.

So these class suits then bundle together thousands of claimants, creating a larger payout (all those $100's add up). Good for the lawyers bringing the claim. All the claimants get a paltry "better than nothing" sum.

That's who are running these ads - the law firms. You don't pick, you are joining their "client" list if you respond. These ads are framed almost as PSA's.

If one actually has a grievous physical ailment from a product, place, service, then a class action case is not the way to get compensated as an individual.

 

[street]

I have seen that ad for the lawsuit. I have not been part of any class action suits and have been candidate for a couple through the years. I just never bothered with them mostly because they never altered my life, and I don't care to fight over the small things in life.

For me some of those things are just another thing to clutter my life with. In the end it doesn't gain me much of anything.

 

[Out of Steam]

I know of a woman who died of cancer in her 40s after serving in the Marines on Camp LeJeune. These lawsuits are more similar to the ongoing situation on asbestos exposure than conventional class actions. The number of people exposed and degree of health effects appear to have been very serious.

 

[JoeWras]

I'd ask myself if the punitive aspect was justified. Was the company really negligent or malicious? If so, I'd be 100% on board, even knowing the lawyers would receive the bulk of the settlement. If I considered it frivolous, I wouldn't participate.

For example, I once owned a vehicle which was in the class that was alleged to have problems with a stuck accelerator pedal. Most of the news stores I read seemed like pure theatrics on the part of some driver trying to justify why they got in an accident. If my floor mat ever got stuck behind the pedal, I'd just reach down and pull it out. I've done it before on previous vehicles, and I've never felt the need to sue anyone over it.

Yeah, I know, which is why most go in the garbage.

The ones I cashed in on affected me, so I got with the class. The GM ignition thing was no joke, it happened to me, but I didn't crash the car at least. Some people did. I read the information on Invesco and didn't understand it at the time because I didn't know what "fiduciary" meant. I would guess it had merit.

Here's the problem. Even if 80% of us toss them, it doesn't matter. There's still a class (most are written by default) and lawyers are going to get paid.

 

[MichaelB]

It's my understanding that a Class Action is good for one scenario:

Individual claimants have a low chance at a claim, or a low payout if they win - thus making it unattractive for a traditional suit.

So these class suits then bundle together thousands of claimants, creating a larger payout (all those $100's add up). Good for the lawyers bringing the claim. All the claimants get a paltry "better than nothing" sum.

That's who are running these ads - the law firms. You don't pick, you are joining their "client" list if you respond. These ads are framed almost as PSA's.

If one actually has a grievous physical ailment from a product, place, service, then a class action case is not the way to get compensated as an individual.

Exactly. Class action suits also intend to change behavior, like stopping poor business practices and deliberate misdeeds that affect large numbers of people in small ways. The class action allows the affected class to combine their grievances and pursue action in a way that no one or small group of individuals could.

 

[street]

Yeah, I know, which is why most go in the garbage.

The ones I cashed in on affected me, so I got with the class. The GM ignition thing was no joke, it happened to me, but I didn't crash the car at least. Some people did. I read the information on Invesco and didn't understand it at the time because I didn't know what "fiduciary" meant. I would guess it had merit.

Here's the problem. Even if 80% of us toss them, it doesn't matter. There's still a class (most are written by default) and lawyers are going to get paid.

Not sure it is a problem; it is their job, and they get paid. Really no different than a plumber that comes and puts in their time.

 

[cathy63]

Hi all.

Curious about something.

You've probably seen advertisements on TV for the Camp LeJeune Justice Act and related legal proceedings.

There are a number of similar advertisements for things like Tylenol and autism, hernia mesh implants, Zantac, RoundUp, etc.

Have you, or anyone you know, qualified for any of these?

How did you/they pick a law firm?

Did you/they follow through?

Was it worth it?

These ads are where a law firm has already decided to bring a class action, so they are looking for class representatives. You don't pick the law firm, they pick you. If you are selected as a class representative, you can get a much larger payout than the regular class members who get the $5 coupon or whatever. I think you do have to do more work though. You may have to show up for and sit through legal proceedings and sign settlement papers, and of course your name is forever associated with the lawsuit whenever anyone googles it.

If I get contacted about a class action, I usually do opt in if I think I'm in the class. I don't respond to TV ads though.

The biggest settlement we've ever received was for DH from the class action related to the High-Tech Employee Antitrust Litigation. That one was worth several months of his salary when all was said and done. I also see a lot of similar settlements between employers and employees when I do taxes as a volunteer. Usually it's because the employer didn't calculate overtime correctly or something like that, and they're all worth a lot more than the typical $5 coupon.

 

[Taco]

... I just never bothered with them mostly because they never altered my life, and I don't care to fight over the small things in life.

For me some of those things are just another thing to clutter my life with. In the end it doesn't gain me much of anything.

Wise words. +1

 

[wrigley]

I got $850 for the Ford Focus/Fiesta Transmission Settlement class action law suit. It took about 18 months after I filed the appropriate paperwork for the money to come in (I actually forgot about it ). I received a Bank of America Visa card with the Ford logo on it and was able to get the cash off the card at any bank.

Mike

 

[OldShooter]

Exactly. Class action suits also intend to change behavior, like stopping poor business practices and deliberate misdeeds that affect large numbers of people in small ways. The class action allows the affected class to combine their grievances and pursue action in a way that no one or small group of individuals could.

That's the theory anyway. The practice is that many class action suits are created by attorneys whose goal is to shake down companies and get paid off for less than the company would pay to defend. I think we could stop many frivolous lawsuits by requiring that all punitive damages be paid to the government, that no lawyers fees be paid on punitive damages, and that lawyers fees be limited to a multiple of the amount of the award to individual plaintiffs. Say 500x.

Certainly there are occasional meritorious lawsuits but I believe they are probably in the minority. Basically it's a lawyer enrichment program. There is a reason that the trial lawyers have a huge lobbying presence in Washington.

 

[Omega]

My 66-year-old sister died this year from pancreatic cancer, and her daughter was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She and her family lived at Camp Lejeune for several years in the late 70s. It does make me wonder.

 

[JoeWras]

Not sure it is a problem; it is their job, and they get paid. Really no different than a plumber that comes and puts in their time.

It was a figure of speech directed at those very sour on class actions as mentioned earlier in the thread.

As MichaelB says, it can change corporate behavior. I was all for the GM lawsuit. The story of the ignition key issue is literally criminal (although they plead down). They deserve everything they got in that payout.

As for my dishwasher, although I can't access the class, I agree with it. After doing my repair, it is ridiculous what they designed. I can see why floors were flooded after using the device only a year or two.

 

[street]

It was a figure of speech directed at those very sour on class actions as mentioned earlier in the thread.

As MichaelB says, it can change corporate behavior. I was all for the GM lawsuit. The story of the ignition key issue is literally criminal (although they plead down). They deserve everything they got in that payout.

As for my dishwasher, although I can't access the class, I agree with it. After doing my repair, it is ridiculous what they designed. I can see why floors were flooded after using the device only a year or two.

Yes, I understand your comment and I absolutely wasn't taking a shot at your post or You. It does seem the attorneys always get the bad name from the public. I sometimes feel the jealousy coming out and high earners take the rap for doing what they do.

I also don't see a problem with people being part of a suit either. Companies have to be responsible, and the only way is to make them pay and do a better job.

 

[Turbo29]

I got $9 for a pair of shoes that were supposedly advertised in a misleading way.

My big win was my Volkswagen TDI Jetta. When VW was caught falsifying the emissions tests on their diesel cars the settlement was, the blue book value of the particular model the day VW admitted that they cheated the emissions tests, plus $5000 (I think) for the fraud they committed. Took a little over a year for the settlement. The emissions fraud broke Sept. 2015 and I cashed my seven year old car in Dec. 2016.

There was also some smaller checks that came to ~$1500 because my state's AG went after them too.

I originally expected the class action to get me a coupon for $50 off a new VW and a free pair of floor mats. So I was shocked at the final settlement; they don't usually turn out that way.

 

[JoeWras]

I originally expected the class action to get me a coupon for $50 off a new VW and a free pair of floor mats. So I was shocked at the final settlement; they don't usually turn out that way.

The real question is did you get your "Genuine High Emissions Volkswagen" sticker?

 

[Koolau]

The real question is did you get your "Genuine High Emissions Volkswagen" sticker?

I LOVE it!

 

[MichaelB]

It is easy to be cynical about class actions, especially if one’s primary source of information is mass media and headlines, which (naturally) highlight the extreme.

The fact, however, is class actions are usually the only mechanism we have to pursue bad institutional behavior. Many of these behaviors are deliberate, carried out with full knowledge of the harm they cause, a gamble that business will avoid any punitive measures because they are too difficult or the individual harm is not significant.

Most other countries pursue this with increased regulation and gov’t investigation, and issues are only addressed if and when gov’t chooses to get involved. Our system gives that power to us as individuals, and I’m sure most members here feel our approach is preferable. Having lived under both, I’ll take the US system every time, warts and all.