News in Brief August 31 – Apple, Verizon and More

Lawsuit Claims iPhone 6 Touchscreens Are Defective

Apple is facing a proposed class action that claims iPhone 6 and 6 Plus phones contain a design defect that affects the touchscreens on the devices. According to the complaint, Apple knew about the defect – which could leave the touchscreens unresponsive – and refused to cover the cost of repairs. The plaintiffs are looking to represent anyone in the U.S. who bought the affected phones.

Verizon, DirecTV Subscriber Scheme Suit Heads to Arbitration

A class action claiming that Verizon and DirecTV tricked consumers and profited from mischaracterizing their accounts as residential instead of commercial was sent to arbitration on Tuesday. The lawsuit claims that some small business owners would retain DirecTV programming after they switched providers from a Verizon bundle, only to be informed (by a New York law firm) that they were getting the television service without authorization and that the dispute could be settled for a mere $10,000 or $7500 if they switched the characterization of their account. The suit was sent to arbitration because of a clause in Verizon and DirecTV’s terms of service. If you haven’t already read it, we’ve written about mandatory arbitration before.

Endo Settles Fluoride Labeling Lawsuit

Endo Health Solutions agreed to pay $15.5 million to settle a proposed class action over the amount of fluoride in its multivitamins. According to the lawsuit, Endo’s Qualitest MultiVitamin with Fluoride Chewable Tablets contained less than 45 percent the amount of fluoride advertised. It was argued that, at levels that low, the fluoride doesn’t serve as much more than a placebo. Plaintiffs are now figuring out the best way to inform anyone who might be able to claim a part of the settlement. So, don’t be surprised if you hear about it on the news.