LCD Manufacturers Reach Historic Class Action Settlement

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Samsung, Sharp, LG and five other manufacturers of LCD flat screens have reached the largest antitrust class action settlement in history, agreeing to pay consumers more than $405 million to resolve allegations they conspired to fix the price of LCD panels in televisions, laptop computers and monitors.

The LCD panel settlement will end numerous class action lawsuits alleging LCD manufacturers created an international cartel designed to illegally inflate prices and stifle competition in LCD panels between 1996 and 2006, costing U.S. consumers billions of dollars.

“This price-fixing scheme manipulated the playing field for businesses that abide by the rules, and left consumers to pay artificially higher costs for televisions, computers and other electronics,” the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement this week.

The settling companies include Samsung Electronics, Sharp, Chimei Innolux, Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Epson Imaging Devices, HannStar Display, Hitachi Displays and LG Display.

In addition to paying a collective $405 million to settle consumer and state regulatory claims, the settling companies agreed to help prosecute other defendants that have not yet settled. Toshiba and AU Optronics still face litigation in San Francisco Superior Court and in Florida.Consumers who made a direct purchase of a Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) product in the United States between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2006 from any of the named Defendants listed above, or one of their subsidiaries or affiliates, can file a claim to receive a share of the LCD panel class action settlement.

A TFT-LCD product is any display technology used in flat panel televisions as a well as in computer monitors, notebook computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and other devices.

The amount of money you can receive from the LCD panel class action settlement cannot be determined at this time, but you must file a claim by April 5, 2012 to ensure you receive a share of the settlement fund. Claim forms can be filled out online at www.TFTLCDClassAction.com.

If the Plaintiffs obtain additional money as a result of a future settlement with the Non-Settling Defendants or trial verdict, a further notice will be provided. To ensure that you receive all future notices, please register by CLICKING HERE. Important information about the case will also be posted on this website.

For more information on your individual rights in the LCD Class Action Lawsuit Settlement, go to www.TFTLCDClassAction.com. You can also find detailed instructions on how to file a valid claim and ensure you receive settlement benefits in our Open Lawsuit Settlements section.

UPDATE 4/14/14: Distribution of funds from the LCD class action settlement has been delayed by appeals. The Settlement Administrator is estimating that the appeals will not be resolved until 2015 to 2018. Read more.

UPDATE 7/24/14: All appeals have been resolved and payments could go out at early as September or October 2014. More info.

UPDATE 10/23/14: A federal judge reportedly gave authorization to distribute the LCD class action settlement funds at a hearing on Oct. 17. 2014, and the checks are likely to be distributed the last week in October. Read more.

UPDATE 10/29/14: On Oct. 27, 2014, our readers began reporting that they finally received checks from the LCD panel class action settlement. Some readers have received checks worth hundreds of dollars. Let us know how much money YOU received in the comments section below. Congratulations!