HP Can’t Dismiss Custom-Built Laptop Class Action Lawsuit

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Hewlett-Packard Co. on Wednesday lost its bid to dismiss a potential class action lawsuit over custom-built HP laptops. The class action lawsuit is seeking to represent “tens of thousands” of customers who bought laptops online via HP’s “help me decide” website feature between January 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011.

Plaintiff Ned Karim sued Hewlett-Packard in August 2012 after purchasing a custom-built HP Pavilion laptop through the company’s website in November 2010. Karim says he added various options during the online purchase, including dual-band wireless. But when he received the computer it came with an Intel single-band wireless card. Karim was unable to install a dual-band card because the laptop was not configured to work with such cards despite HP’s claims that it could, according to the class action lawsuit.

Hewlett-Packard motioned to dismiss the class action lawsuit based on the argument that Karim failed to show he had seen a statement on the company’s website claiming the laptop would run dual-band wireless or that he had relied on such a statement when he made his purchase.

U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton rejected HP’s argument, saying Karim’s class action lawsuit adequately established his reliance on HP’s claims and that HP’s demands for a more specific claim was “too much” and “too hypertechnical,” according to Karim’s attorney.

The HP custom laptop class action lawsuit is seeking restitution, including repair of customers’ laptops so they can use dual-band wireless cards, for alleged breach of contract and violation of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act.

The HP “Help Me Decide” Custom Laptop Class Action Lawsuit case is Karim v. Hewlett-Packard Co., Case No. 12-cv-05240, United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

UPDATE: On Jan. 11, 2017, Hewlett-Packard is one step closer to finalizing approval of a class action settlement with a group of California consumers who say they purchased custom-built laptops with defective wireless cards. U.S. District Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton said she would sign off on Hewlett Packard’s deal to issue $25 refunds to customers who purchased the allegedly defective laptops and wireless cards, but is inclined to reject HP’s bid to vacate class certification.