How to claim a share of Verizon’s proposed $100 million settlement
Some Verizon customers may be entitled to a share of a proposed $100 million settlement that the wireless carrier has agreed to pay to resolve a class action lawsuit, according to a claims website established by a settlement administrator.
The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, argued that Verizon’s administrative fees were unfair and not adequately disclosed to customers. The court in New Brunswick, NJ, approved the settlement on December 15.
Court-appointed lawyers for the plaintiffs sent emailed advisories and postcards, which were sent to customers on Wednesday to customers who were eligible to file a claim.
Stephen DeNittis, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said in an interview that the $100 million settlement was one of the largest against a company for charging administrative fees.
What was the complaint?
The case stemmed from a lawsuit filed in California in 2021 complaintwhich brought together four separate lawsuits and was filed on November 10, accused Verizon, the New Jersey-based wireless communications giant, of misleading customers by “prominently advertising certain monthly rates for postpaid wireless service plans.”
However, after customers sign up for the company’s service, the lawsuit alleges, “Verizon uniformly charges them higher monthly rates than advertised and promised by adding what Verizon calls an ‘administrative charge’ to the bill.”
Verizon has denied the claims.
Rich Young, a spokesman for Verizon, said in a statement that the company “identifies and describes consumer wireless administration charges multiple times during the sales transaction, as well as in marketing, contracts and billing. Mr. Young said that as part of the agreement, Verizon had “made some changes to the way the charge is described.”
President Biden has urged Congress to pass laws banning “surprise fees” charged by businesses, including hotels and service providers.
How do I file a claim?
Those eligible for a portion of the settlement include U.S. customers with postpaid wireless phone or data plans – that is, those who signed up for services that are paid monthly – to whom between January 1, 2016 and November 8 2023 administration costs have been charged. .
An affected customer can receive a payment of $100 at most. The amount may be lower depending on the length of time a customer has used Verizon’s services and the number of customers filing a claim, according to a claim form.
To file, clients must two-page form and indicate your preferred payment method: check, bank transfer or digital payment service. The deadline for filing a claim is April 15, 2024.
Customers can also choose not to participate in the settlement class and retain the right to sue Verizon individually over the matters outlined in the class action lawsuit filed in New Jersey.