News in Brief April 18 – T-Mobile, Mitsubishi and More

Burlington Coat Factory Sued Over Online “Terms of Use”

Burlington Coat Factory is facing a class action claiming that it uses its “Terms of Use” to illegally shirk any responsibility it owes to its online customers. The complaint alleges that Burlington’s “Terms of Use” say that the store isn’t at fault for selling dangerous or otherwise second-rate products, data breaches, fraud or any other harm that could come to customers using its website. According to the lawsuit, this practice puts consumers at risk and violates New Jersey’s Truth-in-Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act.

T-Mobile Accused of Violating Consumer Protection Laws

T-Mobile has been hit with a proposed class action in Florida claiming that it offers phone plans without contracts or hidden fees, but slams customers with a bill for the remaining balance when they try to leave. The practice is called “payment acceleration” and, according to the complaint, it’s illegal – violating both the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Class Action Claims Avis “Terms and Conditions” Limit Customers

Avis is the latest company to be hit with a proposed class action over its online “Terms and Conditions.” This case is similar to the Burlington Coat Factory lawsuit mentioned above because it claims Avis also violated the New Jersey Truth-in-Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act (TCCWNA) by denying consumers their right to seek compensation in court for potential wrongdoing by Avis. The plaintiff is looking to have Avis remove the statements at issue from its “Terms and Conditions” and pay for each alleged violation of the TCCWNA.

GM Recalling Over One Million Pickup Trucks

General Motors has announced that it will be recalling more than one million Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks over potential seat belt problems. According to a statement from GM, it found that the cable connecting the seat belts could separate from the vehicle under certain circumstances. No injuries related to the potential defect have been reported.

Mitsubishi Pays To End Auto Part MDL

Mitsubishi has agreed to pay $84.4 million to end a multidistrict litigation (MDL) claiming that it collaborated with other manufacturers to fix the prices on certain auto parts. The MDL claimed that Mitsubishi and others conspired to deceive car buyers and auto part dealers by selling their parts at high prices, without competition between manufacturers.