Biomat, Talecris Plasma, Interstate Blood Bank BIPA $16.75M class action settlement

Biomat, Talecris Plasma Resources and Interstate Blood Bank, all part of Grifols, agreed to a $16.75 million class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims they violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by scanning fingerprints without first getting consent.

The class action lawsuit settlement benefits individuals who scanned their fingers on a finger scanning device during the plasma donation process at either a Biomat USA or Talecris Plasma Resources center in Illinois between June 10, 2015, and June 10, 2022.

The settlement also benefits individuals who scanned their fingers on a finger scanning device during the plasma donation process at the Interstate Blood Bank plasma donation center in Illinois between April 8, 2016, and July 25, 2022.

Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit say the plasma donation centers failed to get their consent before using technology that scanned their fingers. According to the class action, the donation centers violated BIPA.

Biomat, Talecris Plasma and Interstate Blood Bank are plasma donation centers. All three of these centers involved in the class action lawsuit are part of Grifols, a network of plasma donation centers around the country.

The plasma defendants haven’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $16.75 million class action settlement to resolve the BIPA allegations.

Under the terms of the BIPA settlement, class members can receive an equal share of the net settlement fund. Exact payments will vary based on the number of claims filed. 

According to the settlement website, a 55% participation rate would result in payments of around $300 per claimant. A 30% participation would result in $550 payments, while a 15% participation rate would result in payments of around $1,100.

The defendants also agreed to comply with BIPA requirements in the future, including obtaining written consent from plasma donors.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is May 22, 2023.

The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for Aug. 24, 2023.

In order to receive a settlement payment, class members must submit a valid claim form by Aug. 4, 2023.

Who’s Eligible

Individuals who scanned their fingers on a finger scanning device during the plasma donation process at either a Biomat USA or Talecris Plasma Resources center in Illinois between June 10, 2015, and June 10, 2022, AND individuals who scanned their fingers on a finger scanning device during the plasma donation process at the Interstate Blood Bank plasma donation center in Illinois between April 8, 2016, and July 25, 2022.

Potential Award

$300-$1,100 (estimate)

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

08/04/2023

Case Name

Vaughan, et al. v. Biomat USA Inc., et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-04241, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Final Hearing

08/24/2023

Settlement Website

BIPAPlasma.com

Claims Administrator

Vaughan et al. v. Biomat et al.
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen, MN 55317-2006
info@bipaplasma.com
844-713-2842

Class Counsel

David Fish
Mara Baltabols
FISH POTTER BOLAÑOS PC

Defense Counsel

Jason A Selvey
Julia S Wolf
JACKSON LEWIS PC