According to Commonwealth Attorney General, company encouraged furloughed employees who were collecting state unemployment benefits to work without pay. Massachusetts car dealer Colonial Automotive Group, Inc. has agreed to pay $1 million in penalties to settle claims that it took advantage of state unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, Attorney General Maura Healey announced. Following […]
State Farm Settles Hale Class Action for $250 Million
As trial was scheduled to commence, a settlement was announced bringing to a close two decades of litigation on non-OEM parts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance and the Plaintiffs in Hale et al v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company et al announced they have reached a settlement agreement as the trial was set to […]
State Farm Racketeering Trial Starts This Week
The 2012 lawsuit alleges auto insurer recruited and bankrolled successful candidate for Illinois Supreme Court to overturn 1999 $1.18 billion non-OEM parts ruling. Plaintiffs in a 2012 lawsuit that alleges State Farm Automobile Insurance company recruited and bankrolled the successful candidacy of an Illinois Supreme Court Justice in 2004 so that he would overturn a […]
Cooks Collision Settles Hazardous Waste Lawsuit with California District Attorneys
$1.525 million settlement with collision repair facility operator follows undercover operation examining store waste streams by District Attorneys. Cooks Collision, Inc. with 38 collision repair centers in California, has settled a lawsuit brought by 15 District Attorney’s Offices in California for violations of the storage and disposal of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes. The action […]
California Bureau of Automotive Repair Accuses Two Collision Repair Shops of Fraud
Repair facility in Merced accused of insurance fraud. Sacramento body shop accused of defrauding customers. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) announced it has filed accusations of fraud against two collision repair centers. An accusation against FH & Sons Auto Body & Paint, a registered auto body shop located in Merced, Calif., has been […]
US Auto Parts Files Lawsuit Alleging U.S. Agency Illegally Seizing Aftermarket Automotive Grilles
The U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc. (NASDAQ:PRTS), the online providers of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories, announced it has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. Court of International Trade that asserts that the United States Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, […]
RICO Lawsuit Against State Farm to Proceed
Judge denies State Farm motion to dismiss case seeking reinstatement of $1.18 billion aftermarket collision repair parts verdict. U.S. District Judge David R. Herndon denied a motion last week by State Farm attorney seeking a summary judgement to have a 2012 lawsuit dismissed that alleges the auto insurer recruited and secretly bankrolled Illinois Supreme Court […]
Oregon Collision Repair Shop Sues GEICO Alleging Antitrust
Lawsuit by Leif’s Auto Collision alleges GEICO and ARX shops engaged in conspiracy to suppress repair costs, refuse to reimburse for diagnostic scans. GEICO had sued collision repair facility in January alleging abusive and intimidating conduct against its adjusters. Portland, Oregon-based Leif’s Auto Collision, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Oregon […]
Texas Jury Finds Collision Repair Center Responsible for Improper Repairs in $42 Million Lawsuit
A jury assigned a Texas collision repair center 75 percent liability in a case brought by Dallas couple who suffered injuries in a car accident in a vehicle that had collision repairs performed that did not follow manufacturer procedures. A jury in the 192nd Civil District Court in Dallas County, Texas found in favor of […]
3M Files Lawsuit Against Thunder Finish for PPS Technology Patent and Trademark Infringement
3Mand 3M Innovative Properties Co. filed a lawsuit September 22 in the Western District of Wisconsin against China-based Thunder Finish Co. Ltd. alleging infringement of patent and trademark rights related to 3M’s PPS technology used in the automotive collision repair industry. 3M has filed several patent infringement claims over technologies used in its collision repair […]