Lithium-Ion Battery Indirect Purchaser Antitrust Class Action Settlement

Updates:

• Top Class Actions readers reported this settlement paying out up to $1.29 as of late February 2024.
• Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got PAID!

• This class action settlement is paying out up to $3,454.23 as of June 1, 2023.
• Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got paid!

A $64.45 million settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit filed by indirect purchasers of certain products containing lithium-ion cylindrical batteries who allege the defendants and co-conspirators unlawfully conspired to fix, raise, maintain or stabilize the prices of the batteries.

If you purchased a laptop, camcorder, cordless power tool or other items that contain lithium-ion batteries since 2000, you may be entitled to a cash payment from the class action settlement.

The plaintiffs claim that the world’s largest manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries violated federal and state antitrust, unfair competition and consumer protection laws by scheming to raise and fix the prices of cylindrical lithium-ion cells for more than a decade.

As a result of this alleged antitrust scheme, indirect purchasers of portable computers, camcorders and power tools containing lithium-ion cylindrical batteries paid higher prices for the devices than they otherwise would have paid if the defendants and co-conspirators had not engaged in a price-fixing scheme, the antitrust class action lawsuit alleges.

“Lithium Ion Batteries power virtually every laptop computer, cellphone, smartphone, digital music player (e.g., iPods), tablet device (e.g., iPads), digital camera and camcorder, and cordless power tool used today,” the class action lawsuit states.

Since the defendants dominate the lithium ion batteries market, they were able to work together to illegally raise and fix the prices of these products, the class action claims.

The defendants deny the allegations but several defendants have already agreed to settlements in order to avoid the burden, expense and uncertainty of ongoing litigation.

The settling defendants include Sony Corporation, LG Chem Ltd, LG Chem America Inc., Hitachi Maxell Ltd., Maxell Corporation of America, and NEC Corporation.

The antitrust litigation is still pending against the following defendants: Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., Samsung SDI America Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Panasonic Corporation of North America, Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., Sanyo North America Corporation, NEC Tokin Corporation and Toshiba Corporation.

Class Members who would like to opt out of or object to the lithium-ion battery class action settlement must do so no later than June 12, 2017.

Who’s Eligible

“The Class includes all persons and entities who, as residents of the United States and during the period from January 1, 2000 through May 31, 2011, indirectly purchased new for their own use and not for resale one of the following products which contained a lithium-ion cylindrical battery manufactured by one or more Defendants in this lawsuit or their co-conspirators: (i) a portable computer, (ii) a power tool, (iii) a camcorder, or (iv) a replacement battery for any of these products.”

To be eligible for benefits from this class action settlement, the consumer must have purchased the product from someone other than the manufacturer, such as a retailer.

Potential Award

To Be Determined. The amount each claimant will be eligible to receive will depend on a number of factors, such as the total number of claims filed and how many eligible products were purchased by Class Members.

Proof of Purchase

N/A. The settlement website does not state that proof of purchase is required to file a claim.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

Claim Form Deadline

7/19/2019  *UPDATED*

Case Name

In re: Lithium Ion Batteries Antitrust Litigation – All Indirect Purchaser Actions, MDL No. 2420, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Final Hearing

5/20/20   UPDATED

UPDATE: The Lithium-Ion Battery Indirect Purchaser Antitrust Class Action Settlement is currently under appeal. Claims will not be paid until appeals are resolved. We appreciate your ongoing patience. Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.  

Settlement Website

www.ReverseTheCharge.com

Claims Administrator

Lithium Batteries Indirect Purchaser Settlements
c/o KCC Class Action Services
P.O. Box 43454
Providence, RI 02940-3454
1-855-730-8645

Class Counsel

Steven N. Williams
COTCHETT PITRE & MCCARTHY LLP

Jeff Friedman
HAGENS BERMAN SOPOL SHAPIRO LLP

Brendan P. Glackin
LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN & BERNSTEIN LLP

Defense Counsel

Counsel for Sony Defendants:
John C. Dwyer
Stephen C. Neal
Beatriz Mejia
Matthew M. Brown
COOLEY LLP

Counsel for Hitachi Maxell Ltd. and Maxell Corporation of America:
Jason A. Levine
Lindsey R. Vaala
VINSON & ELKINS LLP

Counsel for NEC Corp.:
Robert B. Pringle
Paul R. Griffin
Sean D. Meenan
Jennifer E. Parsigian
Dana L. Cook-Milligan
WINSTON & STRAWN LLP