Are You Eligible? These 8 Class-Action Settlements Include Costco and Solodyn

Expensive months are upon us with graduations and summer camps vying for our dollars.

Add some extra cash now to lower the impact of those additional expenses later. The power is in your hands to collect on an electric company settlement, as well as an overpriced footwear settlement.

Here’s how to collect on these class-action settlements:

Viridian Energy

If you purchased electric or gas service from Viridian Energy with a variable rate plan between July 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2016, you may be entitled to a portion of an $18.5 million settlement.

Plaintiffs alleged the rate they were charged was supposed to fluctuate with the changes in the wholesale energy market, but that Viridian kept rates high.

Class members fall into either an Average Usage Class or an Above-Average Usage Class.

Average Use equals an average annual utilization rate of 25,000 or fewer kilowatt hours or 2,500 or fewer therms. The Above-Average Use is anything over those numbers.

Average Usage Class Members can receive a cash payment: Either $5 or 65% of the calculated amount (based on a formula), up to $425.

Above-Average Usage Class Members can receive the greater of $10 or 54% of the calculated amount, up to $500.

The deadline to submit a claim is June 14, 2018. For more information on payment calculations and how to submit a claim, the power is in your hands when you click here.

Marriott Vacation Club Cruises

If you were a member of the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Exchange Program and booked a cruise through International Cruise & Excursion Gallery Inc., you could qualify to receive a portion of this Marriott class-action settlement.

Plaintiffs allege they were told they could use points for a cruise instead of for their timeshare. They allege they were not informed that their points would not cover the entire costs of the cruise, and they would have to pay cash to cover the difference.

Class Members include anyone in the U.S. who was a member of the Marriott Club Destinations Exchange Program and who booked a cruise through International Cruise & Excursion Gallery Inc. from Jan. 1, 2010, through Feb. 23, 2018.

Class Members may choose cash, Exchange Program PlusPoints, or a gift card.

For complete details and how to submit a claim by the June 20, 2018 deadline, click here.

Pella ProLine Windows

The Pella Corporation has agreed to a $25 million settlement regarding allegations its Pella ProLine aluminum clad wood casement, awning and/or transom windows were defective, resulting in leaks.

You may be entitled to cash or the actual expenses paid to fix damages caused by the ProLine windows, including the 250 and 450 Series, manufactured by Pella Corporation from 1991 through 2009.

Leaking windows can be a pain, but the potential award depends on the actual cash expenditures of each Class Member to address eligible damage as long as claim forms are received by the June 20, 2018 deadline.

For more information and a claim form, click here.

Solodyn Acne Medication

Makers of Solodyn acne medication have agreed to a $43 million class-action settlement regarding allegations that they violated state antitrust and consumer protection laws and unjust enrichment laws when they agreed to keep from competing with other drug companies by keeping generic Solodyn from entering the market.

Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. and Impax Laboratories faced allegations from health insurers and consumers that a cheaper, generic version of Solodyn is available, but was kept off the market to keep the medication’s cost high.

The drug companies admitted no wrongdoing, but agreed to settle the lawsuit for the two classes.

Consumer Class Members include anyone who purchased Solodyn from July 23, 2009 through Feb. 25, 2018 and who live in certain states.

The Third-Party Payor Class Members include health insurance companies and other third-party administrators in certain states who purchased Solodyn during the same time period.

The potential award will be determined by the number of valid claims received by the July 31, 2018, in addition to several other factors.

For complete details on Third-Party Payor Class Members and the states that all Class Members must reside in, click here.

Costco Background Check

Costco allegedly violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act when it used non-compliant disclosure forms to check the credit reports of job applicants.

A $2.5 million settlement will go to two classes. Class Members who were denied employment or otherwise not hired based upon background reports will automatically receive pay based on the records provided for court mediation.

A second class consists of Class Members who applied to work at Costco between Aug. 10, 2014, and April 17, 2017. These Class Members will need to submit a claim form by May 14, 2018.

Individual payments will vary, but could range from $25 to $400.

For more information and a claim form, click here.

Venture Data and Public Opinion Strategies

Did you receive a call to your cell phone from Venture Data LLC on behalf of Public Opinion Strategies LLC on June 11, Aug. 19 or Sept. 9, 2014?

If you received such a call by an automatic telephone dialing system without your consent, you could be eligible for a portion of a $2.1 million Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action settlement.

The estimated potential award is $160 per claim, and Class Members are asked to provide Claimant Identification and the phone number at which they received a qualifying call from Venture Data.

For further details and to submit a claim form by the June 11, 2018 deadline, click here.

California Residents Only: Frontier California

Calling all residential phone customers of Frontier California Inc., formerly known as Verizon California Inc., who were charged unlawful late payment charges.

If you’re a California resident who made a late payment charge from Dec. 1, 2008, through Feb. 21, 2018 to Verizon California or Frontier California, you could be eligible for a portion of this Frontier late payment charge class action settlement.

Frontier faced allegations it violated consumer protection laws by imposing the fees, and even though the company admits no wrongdoing, it agreed to settle the case.

The potential award depends upon the amount paid in late payment charges during the designated time frame divided by the total amount of late payment charges all claimants paid.

Current customers will automatically receive their payment as a credit on their Frontier California bill. Former customers who submit a valid claim form by the June 21, 2018, deadline can receive payment through the mail (if more than $1) or electronically through PayPal or Zelle.

Click here for details and a claim form, along with information regarding a Claim ID and Access Code.

California Residents Only: Frontier California

Step up to collect either $25 cash or a $50 voucher from Justin Brands to settle allegations the company falsely advertised its Chippewa footwear as “made in the U.S.A.”

California residents who bought Chippewa footwear from March 1, 2011, through June 30, 2017, are eligible for this class action settlement that alleges the products contained foreign materials.

This is your sole chance to receive a portion of this false advertising class action settlement.

For a list of covered products and a claim form that needs to be submitted by Sept. 7, 2018, click here.