Did you buy any computer with an internal or external optical disk drive between April 2003 and December 2008? If yes, you can get compensation from the indirect purchaser class action settlement.
Optical disk drives are the devices that allow users to read or write data to optical disks. The optical disk includes DVDs, CDs, pen drives and other computer software storages.
The electronics companies have agreed to pay a total of $180 million to settle an indirect purchaser class action lawsuit against them. The lawsuit accused them of engaging in a conspiracy to fix the prices of optical disk drives. However, the settlements affect most of the indirect purchasers of optical disk drives.
There are a number of cases filed against electronic companies by this class action lawsuit. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it was conducting a criminal investigation against the electronics industry. However, the optical disk drive class action lawsuits were consolidated in 2010.
On July 21, 2016, a California federal judge approved $124.5 million as settlement money against Sony, Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Panasonic Corp.
Further, in March 2017, PLDS, Pioneer and TEAC agreed to pay an additional $55.5 million to settle the price-fixing case against them. Thus, the total settlement amount reaches to $180 million.
Class Eligibility:
You are eligible to file a claim if:
- You purchased a new computer with internal storage between April 2003 and December 2008 from defendant companies.
- Bought a stand-alone optical disk drive designed for internal use in computers or
- purchased a disk drive while a resident of Arizona, District of Columbia, California, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas.
- Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico.
- New York, Oregon, Tennessee, North Carolina, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wisconsin.
Note: If you purchased the Panasonic-brand computers, then you are not covered under this class action settlement.
Name Of Defendant Companies Are:
- BenQ Corporation, BenQ America Corp.
- Samsung Electronics Co., Toshiba Corp.
- Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corp.
- Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corp.
- Korea, and Quanta Storage Inc.
Dead Line To File A Claim:
6/28/2019
Potential Award:
$10 per drive (estimated).
Note: The Class Members who want to opt out of the indirect purchaser class action settlement can do so by July 14, 2017.
Details of The Filed Case:
Case Name
In re: Optical Disk Drive Antitrust Litigation,
Case No. 3:10-md-2143-RS, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division=
Final Hearing
2/7/2019
Claims Administrator
In re: ODD Products Indirect Purchaser Litigation
c/o Gilardi & Co. LLC P.O. Box 43424 Providence,
RI 02940-3424 877-368-9020
