Posted inSettlements

Company Insures a Settlement Option

Healthcare hiccup

The main purpose of antitrust laws in the United States is to encourage competition among businesses and help eliminate monopolies. The intent is to allow consumers the opportunity to decide which business or distributer best meets their needs. Otherwise, consumers may be left with limited options and may become victim to destructive business practices. Recently, the announcement of the $2.7 billion settlement between claimants and Blue Cross Blue Shield relates to antitrust laws and violations of fair competition. Policyholders who may be eligible to receive a piece of this class action lawsuit include those who were covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield plans from February 2008 to October 2020.

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Posted inSettlements

Legal Matter Finally Extinguished

California fire stamped out

Wildfires may cause debilitating effects on the environmental landscape. Despite the deadly risks of playing with fire, homes may be burned to the ground, wildlife may lose its habitat, pollution may permeate clean air, and carbon dioxide may be released into the earth’s atmosphere. Given the negative consequences of large fires, the United States has routinely investigated the source of wildfires and has held certain individuals responsible for starting them. In this most recent wildfire settlement, a Mariposa County, California resident agreed to pay $950,000 to compensate for his part in initiating a 2016 blaze, known as the “Old Fire.”

2 minutes
Posted inSettlements

Christmas Decision in April

Holiday solution

Although the Christmas season ended several months ago, the spirit is still alive in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Towards the middle of this month, news spread of a settlement to a yearlong lawsuit, which involved the dispute over the legal right of a private organization to display a Nativity scene on municipal property. During the December 2018 to January 2019 holiday season, city workers asked that St. Edmond Catholic Church remove the wooden stable with surrounding religious statues. This Nativity scene was positioned near the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, which serves as a popular area and focal point to the city.

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Posted inSettlements

Tech Trouble Ends in Settlement

Invasion of privacy?

Concerning a prior consumer complaint, which accused Facebook of violating an Illinois privacy law, a settlement has been reached and approved by a judge. According to the lawsuit, without the permission of users, Facebook has used facial-recognition technology to help tag photos on profiles. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2015 in Illinois, where state privacy laws specifically forbid this type of biometric collection and storage of data without the consent of members. Since the lawsuit began, Facebook has altered its technology and has also been ordered by a judge to pay $650 million in compensation.

2 minutes
Posted inLawsuits

New Type of Class Action

Issues from A to Z

In 2020, after facing allegations that the company was purposefully slowing down iPhones, Apple entered a $113 million settlement with 34 state attorneys general. The tech company denied liability in the case and maintained that the software updates were meant to correct prior issues with older lithium-ion batteries. Since that class action ended, Apple has upgraded to a new class action lawsuit involving its butterfly keyboard. This month, a judge approved the class action status of the lawsuit, recognizing that the issue is similar, if not the same, for most affected customers.

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