Gentek Steel Siding Class Action Settlement Wins Final Approval

Gentek Steel Siding Class Action Settlement Wins Final Approval

By Mike Holter

A federal judge has approved a class action lawsuit settlement between Gentek Building Products Inc. and customers who say the company failed to honor its warranty on defective steel siding products.

In a decision issued August 1, 2013, U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson granted final approval to the Gentek steel siding settlement, which will require Gentek to fully repair damage caused by defective siding within 18 months of a warranty claim. If Gentek fails to do so within that period or the siding fails after the second renovation attempt,  homeowners can apply for either another attempt or request a one-time payment of $8,000.

“We could not be more pleased with the settlement agreement,” said Jordan L. Chaikin, a Partner at Parker Waichman LLP, who had been named to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee. “We are also quite pleased that homeowners and others in the class who were impacted by the defective exterior siding will be compensated.”

Homeowners accused Gentek and defendant Associated Materials Inc. of manufacturing and selling defectively designed steel siding that prematurely fails and damages homes. Plaintiffs alleged that the siding peels, cracks and chips within the warranty period, but that Gentek failed to honor its warranty. Instead of repairing, replacing or refinishing the siding as promised, the defendants only offered a small amount of money as compensation or offered to only repaint the affected area, according to the class action lawsuit.

Class Members of the Gentek class action settlement include all persons, organizations, municipalities, corporations and entities that own property, whether commercial or residential, on which Gentek steel siding was applied during the period January 1, 1991 through March 15, 2013, that are covered by a Gentek steel siding warranty and which siding experienced Steel Peel.

There is no claims filing process, but you must request a repair within the original warranty period for the Gentek steel siding you’re experiencing problems with. Further details on how to obtain a repair under warranty can be found here in our Open Class Action Lawsuits section.

The case is Eliason, et al. v. Gentek Building Products Inc., and Associated Materials, Inc., Case No. 10-cv-2093, U.S. District Court, Northern District Court of Ohio.

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