Getting Cleaned Out By Class Actions

Class action lawsuits are meant to help provide efficiencies in the legal system.  But do they always result in fairness?

In the case of Glazer v. Whirlpool, fairness could be determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. This class action, involving the high efficiency washing machines and a potential to develop an odor later, has been appealed to the court.  

The Wall Street Journal took to its opinion pages to emphasize the importance of a precent case, stating that this ruling "could expand product liability and make it easier to bring class-action lawsuits. If a lower court ruling is allowed to stand, the result could be a tide of new litigation against an endless array of products."

Tiger Joyce, the president of the American Tort Reform Association writes in the Washington Times that this case does not lack for gall in its intent to inflate the class size and thus the enormity of a damages award.

We brought you news before about class action lawsuits (see here, here, and here), but this is the latest in attempts to stifle business in the US and drum up legal fees. Stay tuned for updates and in the meantime, appreciate the affordability of your washing machine to help keep your clothes clean!