Users who purchased computers with DVD drives about a decade ago may be owed $10, as a result of the proposed settlement on a class action lawsuit.
Your old PC may already be collecting dust or already discarded, but it seems that it will still allow you to earn a little money from it.
Class Action Lawsuit Against DVD Drive Manufacturers
The class-action lawsuit, which took more than seven years before reaching a settlement, alleged that the manufacturers of optical disc drives shared bids among themselves when selling their products to retailers and major computer builders such as HP and Dell. This practice would keep the prices of the DVD drives high, with the additional cost of the components being passed on to the price tags of the computers that will be integrating them.
The 23 plaintiffs claimed that the DVD drive manufacturers worked in collusion, violating antitrust laws. The defendants denied that that were involved in such a practice, but several companies, namely Sony, Panasonic, NEC, and Hitachi-LG, agreed to pay a total of $124.5 million as settlement for the lawsuit, which will be paid out through four separate funds and resulting in claims of $10 per DVD drive.
Requirements For Filing Claims
Customers who can file claims resulting from the settlement of the class-action lawsuit will need to have purchased either a standalone DVD drive for computers or a desktop/laptop computer with a DVD drive between April 1, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2008. The customers who wish to file claims will also need to be living in the 23 states covered by the lawsuit, plus the District of Columbia.
For customers who meet the above requirements, they can access the claim site that was put up for the purpose. Claims will need to be submitted before the deadline of July 1, and will require customers to input their names, email addresses, and the number of DVD drives and computers that were purchased within the given period.
For now, there is no requirement for customers filing a claim to still have the receipts of the DVD drives and computers that they purchased about a decade ago. However, in the terms and conditions of the settlement, it is stated that the administrator of the claims reserves the right to request for proof regarding the purchases, so you might want to start looking for your old PC's receipts just to be sure.
When Will The $10 Claim Arrive?
Unfortunately, customers who have filed for a claim under the settlement might not see the money coming their way soon, as the lawyers involved the class-action lawsuit are waiting to see if other DVD manufacturers will be joining the settlement so that the payout will be higher.
The settlement hearing is currently dated for Dec. 8, and payments of the $10 claims will only begin after that, not taking into account any other manufacturers that might be joining the settlement. In addition, claims are up to $10, so customers might be waiting a long time for only a few dollars.
