BMW Z4 Alloy Wheel Class Action Lawsuit

By Mike Holter

A new class action lawsuit filed in California claims the alloy wheels used in 2007-2012 BMW Z4 sports cars are prone to cracking, leading to costly repairs and safety hazard issues.

Lead plaintiff Barry Jekowsky says BMW of North America LLC knew that the BMW alloy wheels had a tendency to crack, yet continued to install them on the vehicles and failed to include them in its four-year/50,000 mile warranty.

TCPA Lawsuits Target Unwanted Cellphone Calls

By Robert J. Boumis

Many people do not realize that it is actually against the law for telemarketers, debt collectors, and other companies to call you on your personal cellular phone without your permission.

A law called the Telephone Consumer Protection Act or TCPA strictly regulates the way companies can call you without your prior consent. These include regulations against prerecorded messages and auto-dialers. It particularly curtails the ability of companies to “cold-call” you, or call you when you’ve had no interaction with that company before.

Skechers Toning Shoe Class Action Settlement Approved

By Mike Holter

A federal judge yesterday approved a $40 million class action lawsuit settlement with Skechers USA Inc. over claims it used deceptive ads that falsely claimed its toning shoes could help people lose weight and strengthen muscles.

Campbell Asks Judge to Dismiss GMO "Natural" Soup Class Action

By Sarah Pierce

The debate over using genetically modified organisms is playing out in a Florida courtroom in an interesting way for consumers who rely on "All Natural" labels to avoid GMO ingredients.

At issue is a class action lawsuit filed last year by Florida resident Mark Krzykwa against Campbell Soup Co., who Krzykwa says is misleading consumers about its 100% Natural Soups line because some of the flavors contain grown from genetically modified seeds.

In his original complaint, Krzykwa cited two varieties of Campbell’s 100% Natural Chicken Soup, but amended his claims twice to instead target Light Southwestern-Style Vegetable Soup, Tomato Garden Soup and Vegetable Medley Soup.

Judge Approves Steve Madden Text Class Action Settlement

By Kimberly Mirando

A federal judge has approved the $10 million Steve Madden text class action settlement we’ve been reporting on since November. If you received a text promoting Steve Madden products between 2010 and 2012, you have until June 11, 2013 to file a claim to receive a cash payment of up to $150.

U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez granted final approval to the Steve Madden text settlement on May 7, which ends claims the shoe retailer violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) when it sent text messages promoting a holiday sale on footwear and other products.

iPhone 4 Power Button Defect Class Action Lawsuit

By Matt O'Donnell

The iPhone 4 has been plagued with problems since its release, triggering multiple class action lawsuits from disgruntled phone owners. Now, just as Apple is wrapping up payments from a class action settlement over antenna problems, comes a new claim that the iPhone 4 has a defective power button that renders the phone useless shortly after its one-year warranty expires.

Pandora Users Revise Privacy Class Action Lawsuit

By Mike Holter

Pandora users took another crack at suing Pandora Media Inc. for selling their personal information to third-party advertisers after a federal judge tossed their original class action lawsuit in March.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White dismissed the first Pandora class action lawsuit, originally filed in June 2011, because he said the plaintiffs failed to show how they were harmed by Pandora’s allegedly improper use of their personal information.

TCPA Lawsuits Over Unwanted Cell Phone Calls, Texts on the Rise

By Anne Bucher

Consumers are increasingly finding themselves disrupted by phone calls and text messages from companies that they have never done business with. While consumers recognize that these calls are annoying, many do not realize that they are also illegal. If you have received unsolicited phone calls or text messages, you could be eligible for significant compensation. Under federal law, companies are liable for a minimum of $500 for each unsolicited communication.