Law Library

Class Action Lawsuits and Verdicts

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Salmon Processors and Importers
Alaskan Fishermen lost an antitrust class action lawsuit when jurors found that the defendants were not guilty of fixing salmon prices. 4,500 fishermen claimed that Japanese importers and Seattle based processors conspired more than a decade ago to lower sockeye salmon prices. Approximately $40 million dollars had already been paid by a handful of defendants who settled with the fishermen rather than go through the trial process.

Record Labels and Music Retailers
A $143 million dollar settlement has been reached and is pending court approval in the antitrust class action lawsuit filed against several major record labels and music retailers on behalf of consumers. The suit alleged that the defendants conspired to set minimum music prices, and under the terms of settlement, approximately 3.5 million consumers will be paid approximately $12.60 each, and approximately $75.7 million dollars will be distributed in the form of CDs to be send to libraries and schools. 

Accelr8 Technology
A settlement has been approved in the class action lawsuit filed against Accelr8 Technology on behalf of investors who purchased shares of the company's common stock between October 1997 and March 1999. Under the terms of settlement, the company will pay $450,000 and issue 375,000 common shares to a settlement fund for plaintiffs. (

Aetna Inc.
A $470 million settlement has been reached in the class action suit filed by more than 600,000 doctors against Aetna Inc. The suit alleged that the company had wrongly cut payments to the doctors, and as part of the settlement, the company will overhaul their bill payment system so that there will be fewer cuts in fees to the doctors. 
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers
A $1 million dollar settlement has been reached in the suit filed against PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The suit alleged that the company did not properly audit SmarTalk TeleService Inc.'s 1997 financial statements. SmarTalk, a pre-paid telephone card company is now in bankruptcy. 

Worldcom Inc.
A $500 million dollar settlement has been reached and is pending court approval in the lawsuit filed against WorldCom Inc. on behalf of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The suit was in regards to one of the biggest accounting fraud scandals in U.S. history, and the settlement will be distributed to the victims of the fraud, which accounted for approximately $11 billion dollars. 
 
EchoStar
A $5 million dollar settlement has been reached in a suit filed against EchoStar, a satellite service provider, and thirteen states. The suit was in regards to the way that EchoStar was marketing and selling its Dish Network service. Colorado consumers may file complaints by calling 1-888-777-JOEL.

Newly Filed Class Actions

Class Action Decertified

Tobacco Industry
A $145 billion dollar verdict against the tobacco industry has been overturned by a Florida court, citing that the case should not have been tried as a class action suit. The case was filed against several cigarette manufacturers Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., Lorillard Tobacco, Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and the Liggett Group on behalf of an estimated 300,000 to 700,000 Florida smokers. The decision states that the plaintiffs are free to pursue their cases on an individual case basis. 

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