Frequently Asked Questions As to Court’s Final Approval Order

1. What is the status of the settlement?

On November 4, 2019, the Court issued a final order approving of the class action settlement.

2. What happens next?

A number of consumers objected to the settlement. The Court rejected their objections and found the settlement fair. The objectors, and their counsel, have thirty days to appeal from the Final Approval Order.

3. When can I expect payment?

If any of the objectors appeal, it may take up to one year or more to resolve the appeal. If the appellate court were to alter the Final Order, the case would be returned to Judge Wood for further proceedings. If no objectors appeal, then payments to class members must start no later than sixty-five days after the thirty-day deadline to appeal has run. In other words, if no appeals are filed, payments will begin in early 2020.

4. How much will I be paid?

Due to the very large number of valid claims filed, the average payout to consumers will be approximately $20. As the Court notes in its opinion, many class members were misled by media accounts that they would receive $900 in this settlement. This was never the case. The distribution of funds is pro rata—meaning the exact amount paid per call depends on the number of claims filed. In this case well over 250,000 valid claims were filed. If less claims were filed, the amount per claim would have been higher, and vice versa. Prior to the claims deadline, the Settlement Administrator sent an email to all class members notifying them that the average payout could have been as low as several dollars, to give all claimants the opportunity to opt out of the settlement and to pursue their rights on their own. In the end, after the assessment of all claims, the average payout per claimant is $20.