JM Eagle Class Action Lawsuit Certified for PVC Pipes

A California judge has indicated that he will certify a class action lawsuit against J-M Manufacturing Co. Inc. for falsely claiming that its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes had passed certain industry tests. Since 1997, JM branded its pipes with a UL stamp, despite the fact that it did not pass certain stress tests conducted by Underwriters Laboratories and other certifications. Although the federal government, 11 state governments, and the District of Columbia are excluded from the tentatively certified class, the remaining possible class could potentially reach into the thousands.

JM Eagle PVC pipes manufactured after 1997 did not pass required stress tests.

J-M Manufacturing Co also goes by the name JM Eagle, which markets itself as the World’s Largest Plastic and PVC Pipe Manufacturer. The current lawsuit alleges that the manufacturer falsely advertised by stamping its pipes with the UL symbol, indicating that they had passed the various tests required by Underwriters Laboratories and other certification groups. Despite this designation, JM Eagle PVC pipes manufactured after 1997 did not pass required stress tests, including a test measuring longitudinal tensile strength (LTS).

The California JM Eagle Pipe lawsuit states that “From 1997 to the present, JM knowingly and falsely represented that PVC pipe it sold to the public qualified for listing marks and met relevant standards. But for such misrepresentations and omissions, plaintiff and the class would not have purchased JM pipe.” The lawsuit accuses JM of violating California’s unfair competition and false advertising laws, unjust enrichment, fraud, and breach of express and implied warranties. JM Eagle was also sued in a whistleblower lawsuit in 2006, in which an employee claimed that the company lied about the quality of its PVC pipes. It is alleged that in order to maximize profits, the company substituted cheaper, lower-viscosity resin and sped up extrusion rates, which caused it to be unable to pass LTS tension tests.

If you or someone you know has experienced pipe failure or any other unexpected incident related to JM Eagle PVC pipe, you may be eligible to seek legal recourse through a class action lawsuit. Those affected by pipe failure may be entitled to seek compensation for the cost of the product, related property damage, and other losses due to the substandard manufacturing of the pipes.