Confidential
Settlement – $200Judge
Court
San Francisco Superior
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Andrew A. August
(Browne George Ross LLP)
Defendant
Facts
Melissa Connelly and Laurence Stanton, on behalf of 1,500 others, sued Palm Inc. and 3Com Corp. in a class action suit. The class was defined as individuals, corporations and partnerships who owned a handheld device and an affected personal computer, simultaneously, on or after Jan. 1, 1998, up to and including Jan. 8, 2004. The class claimed that handheld devices manufactured by Palm and 3Com were defective because when users synchronized data from the devices, they exacerbated the natural discharge of static electricity, causing damage to the motherboards and serial ports of certain models of personal computers that lacked adequate protection. The class brought suit under the state Unfair Competition Law and the California Business and Professions Code, as well as for breach of express or implied warranties, negligent product design and manufacture and failure to warn. The defendants contended that the handheld devices were not defective. They argued that the computer manufacturers were responsible for failing to adequately protect the serial ports and motherboards of damaged computers.
Settlement Discussions
The parties settled with the defendants agreeing to pay affected consumers either $200 in cash, or an $80 or $20 credit toward a Palm product, depending on the level of proof of damage provided by the consumer.
Damages
Compensation for damages incurred to computer serial ports and motherboards, requiring repair. Damages for money paid for Palm technical support regarding computer problems.
Result
Consumer redress
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