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This settlement is closed!
Please see what other class action settlements you might qualify to claim cash from in our Open Settlements directory!
Settlements have been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging freight forwarding companies around the world illegally conspired to fix the prices for their services. If you purchased freight forwarding services, you could be eligible for benefits from a class action settlement.
Under the terms of the class action settlement, the term “freight forwarding services” is defined as freight forwarding, transportation, or logistics services for shipments, and includes services relating to the organization or transportation of items via air and ocean, which may include ancillary rail and truck services, both nationally and internationally, as well as related activities such as customs clearance, warehousing, and ground services.
According to the freight forwarding class action lawsuit, the defendants agreed to fix various charges and surcharges associated with providing freight forwarding services. The routes affected allegedly include those between the United States and China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
The settling defendants deny they did anything wrong, but have agreed to settle the class action lawsuit to avoid the cost and risk of trial. The court has already approved 10 settlements, under which the settling defendants agreed to pay a minimum of $105 million. A second round of settlements, totaling more than $197 million, has been presented to the court for approval. The money from both rounds of settlements will be put into a settlement fund that will be distributed to Class Members.
Who’s Eligible
You are a Class Member of one or more freight forwarding settlements if you directly purchased freight forwarding services from any of the defendants, their subsidiaries or affiliates in the United States (or outside the United States but for shipments within, to, or from the United States) between Jan. 1, 2001 and Sept. 14, 2012.
A list of the defendants is available at www.FreightForwardCase.com.
Potential Award
Varies. The money in the settlement fund will be distributed to Class Members on a pro rata basis as set forth in the Plan of Allocation. The Plan of Allocation can be found in the Important Documents section of the settlement website.
Proof of Purchase
N/A. Although the Claim Form does not specify the type of documentation required for filing a claim, Class Members should keep all documents they believe may help the Claims Administrator determine the amount owed.
If Class Members cannot submit detailed information, they can submit an explanation of why they are unable to submit documentation and provide an estimated amount, under penalty of perjury.
Claim Form Deadline
1st Round: 8/24/2015
2nd Round: 3/31/2016
If you have already submitted a claim (postmarked no later than Aug. 24, 2015) for the First Round Settlements, you do not need to file a claim for the Second Round Settlements. However, if you did not file a claim for the First Round Settlements, you may file a claim for the Second Round Settlements, postmarked no later than March 31, 2016.
3rd Round: 4/3/2017
Claimants who filed qualifying claims as part of the First or Second round settlements will not need to file another claim to obtain distribution as part of the Third Round settlements.
Case Name
Precision Associates Inc. v. Panalpina World Transport, Case No. 08-cv-00042, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Final Hearing
11/2/2015
UPDATE: A federal judge gave final approval to the freight forwarding price-fixing class action settlements on Nov. 10, 2015.
UPDATE 2: On November 9, 2016, the court granted final approval to the Third Round of the Freight Forwarding settlement. The claim deadline is April 3, 2017. Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.
UPDATE 3: On July 28, 2017, class counsel submitted a motion to distribute Round 1 and Round 2 settlement funds. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know when the motion is approved by the court.
UPDATE 4: On August 17, 2017, class counsel submitted a notice of withdrawal of the motion to distribute settlement funds. The notice states that some claims may have contained inaccurate information and were being re-reviewed. The court approved the notice on August 21, 2017. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know when the revised motion to distribute is filed with the court.
UPDATE 5: On February 13, 2018 a status report was filed with the court stating that final determination letters will be mailed by the end of March 2018. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know as soon as a check distribution ETA is available!
UPDATE 6: On April 5, 2019, the motion to distribute funds was granted by the court. It is not known how quickly checks will be mailed. Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.
UPDATE 7: On May 1, 2019, an appeal to the Order on Motion for Disbursement of Funds was filed. Claims will not be fully paid until all appeals are resolved. The settlement website states that partial payments will go out at the end of May 2019. We appreciate your ongoing patience. Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.
UPDATE 8: On May 28, 2019, Top Class Actions viewers started receiving checks in the mail worth as much as $7,495.70 from the freight forwarding class action settlement. Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got PAID!
Settlement Website
Claims Administrator
Freight Forwarders Settlement
c/o Freight Forwarders Claims Administrator
P.O. Box 3747
Portland, OR 97208-3747
(877) 276-7340
questions@freightforwardcase.com
Class Counsel
LOVELL STEWART HALEBIAN JACOBSON LLP
LOCKRIDGE GRINDAL NAUEN PLLP
COTCHETT PITRE & MCCARTHY LLP
GUSTAFSON GLUECK PLLC
Defense Counsel
FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI LLP
VINSON & ELKINS LLP
CLEARY GOTTLIEB STEEN & HAMILTON
FRANKFURT KURNIT KLEIN & SELZ PC
CARROLL MCNULTY & KULL LLC
HAUSFELD LLP
QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN LLP
SKADDEN ARPS SLATE MEAGHER & FLOM LLP
SPECTOR RUBIN PA
KAPLAN MASSAMILLO & ANDREWS LLC
GIBSON DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP
LEVUN GOODMAN & COHEN LLP
HILL RIVKINS & HAYDEN LLP
BAKER & HOSTETLER LLP
SQUIRE SANDERS & DEMPSEY LLP
MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP
KOBRE & KIM LLP
WHITE & CASE LLP
HOGAN LOVELLS LLP
PROSKAUER ROSE LLP
BAKER & MCKENZIE LLP
BINGHAM MCCUTCHEN LLP
WILMER CUTLER PICKERING HALE & DORR LLP
DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL
SIMPSON THATCHER & BARTLETT LLP
MOUND COTTON WOLLAN & GREENGRASS
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351 thoughts onFreight Forwarding Class Action Settlement
The March 15 deadline as stated on the document listed on website for the attorneys to respond to any objections over release of funds has passed. I do not see thei response posted on the website, has anyone seen anything on PACER or heard updates about disbursement?
Per the latest from January, the minimum is $100 per claimant.
I’m just happy to see the end has finally came and I thank god that l”am still here to
Receive the money.
how can you all see those small numbers?
Can you tell me where do you see the award amount? Thank you,.
Exhibit X to O’Connor Declaration Determination Tables
I see it. Thank you!
Important Notice:
January 29, 2019 Update
Class Counsel has filed its motion to disburse to the Court on January 28, 2019. You may review that filing and supporting materials here. Claimants that first objected to the Claims Administrator who wish to object to the motion to disburse must file any additional objection with the Court and serve Class Counsel. Objections must be received by March 1, 2019. The Court may alter these deadlines. The Claims Administrator will post any updates to objection deadlines or hearing dates on the claims administration website.
Listen up people this is true,, the more you objects to the amount you gets the more money the lawyers gets, the lawyers are not going back to court for free and the judge are not reapproving your claim for free, keep this up and it want be enough in the. Claimant settlement to distributed.
I definitely agree
and there you have it , folks . i’ve spent more in attorney fees drawing up paperwork than i’ll ever see back on my “refund” for the claim . hard lesson learned here . Everyone gets rich except the claimant , not only the lawyers , and judges , top class action gets their cut also . there is a special place in Hell for all you swindlers .
Just imagine all the interest $200M has earned over these 3 years and it all goes to the lawyers and the injured consumer who overpaid for freight shipments all over the world for years and years will only recover an average of between $25 and $200 and had to wait almost 4 years to get it. sometimes its better to just opt out when you can sue on your own. its really the only way youll get close to what youve lost.
most big settlements like this provide lawyers with reimbursements for expenses PLUS interest. So its only in the lawyers interest to drag these settlements out for long period of times with appeals and unnecessary filings because their bill just gets higher and higher and rarely ever does any of the extra money trickle down to the injured consumer.
Gil – that isn’t what the public documents state. The interest goes back into the pool of money to be distributed to the claimants.
Since you have Pacer, I’m sure you’ve seen that the lawyers have already been paid. Right? And since you also have pacer, I am sure you’ve read the briefs and motions. You must have seen that the funds were deposited into specific interest bearing accounts for each settlement. And you must have seen how those amounts to be distributed have increased (thanks, in part, to interest) over time, right?
How big was your hill of beans without the case?
I can just imagine how many people are decesed since this law suit it like waiting for social security to approve you this is very sad