Class Actions Against Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturers: It's Time to Claim

NEC, Samsung, Sony, LG, Toshiba, Maxell and Panasonic have agreed to pay $21.3 million to end class actions brought against them in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. The plaintiffs accused them of conspiring to fix the prices of their lithium-ion batteries and products that feature them, causing consumers to pay too much for them.

The settlements, which have been approved by the courts in Ontario and Quebec, terminate the lawsuits, without admission of liability.

Reimbursement to consumers

The sums obtained, which total approximately $13 million once fees and expenses have been paid, will be distributed to consumers. All persons who purchased lithium-ion batteries or products equipped with these batteries between January ¹ , 2000 and January ¹ , 2012 are eligible. If this is your case, you can file a claim before December 17, 2021, regardless of the brand or manufacturer of the batteries and products you purchased.

People who file a claim without proof of purchase will receive $20. Any monies remaining after payment of such undocumented claims will be distributed proportionately, based on the relative value of your claim to the value of all approved claims. To be eligible for these additional amounts, you must provide proof of purchase.

Products eligible for compensation are rechargeable batteries used in electronic products, notebook computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, e-book readers, MP3 players, personal digital assistants, portable GPS devices, portable video players, cellular and smart phones (except those acquired under a cellular phone service contract), and replacement lithium-ion battery packs.

Claims can be submitted online at www.recoursbatteries.ca. If you do not have Internet access, call the Claims Administrator, RicePoint Administration Inc., at 1-866-726-4080.

Depending on the number of claims filed, it could take up to a year for you to receive your money. You can follow the progress of the file on the website www.recoursbatteries.ca.

The class actions were led by the law firms Belleau Lapointe sencrl, in Montreal, Siskinds LLP and Sotos LLP, in Ontario, and Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman, in British Columbia.

>> To read also: How to make a computer battery last and Class actions, how does it work?