News in Brief August 8 – Bank of America, Amazon and More

Bank of America Settlement Granted Final Approval

Bank of America has agreed to pay $27.5 million to end a proposed class action claiming that it charged illegal overdraft fees. On Thursday, the settlement was granted final approval despite an objection that the settlement should have provided more for the class and less for the attorneys. Judge Edward G. Smith found that a single objection meant that the settlement terms were generally acceptable among the class as a whole. Under the settlement, those who were charged overdraft fees since May 25, 2011 (when they had enough in their accounts to cover their purchases) will be able to claim a part of the settlement fund.

BMW Escapes “Soft Close” Door Suit

A proposed class action claiming that BMW’s automatic door-closing technology caused drivers to get their fingers stuck has been dismissed without prejudice, allowing for the complaint to be amended and refiled. As it stands now, the case has holes in it, according to the judge, and doesn’t adequately refute the defense’s argument that the accidents were caused by the drivers’ own negligence.

Amazon Workers Ask Court to Accept Settlement Deal

A group of former Amazon warehouse workers are asking a Kentucky federal judge to grant final approval to a $3.7 million settlement against their staffing agency, SMX LLC. According to the lawsuit, the employees were required to go through a 20-30 minute anti-theft screening process after their shifts and upon taking breaks and weren’t compensated for this time. The three former warehouse workers are looking to collect compensation for themselves and 52,000 others employed by SMX at Amazon’s fulfillment centers in San Bernardino.

BMW AG Removed from Remote Lock Lawsuit

BMW AG has been cut loose from a proposed class action brought against it and BMW of North America. The lawsuit claims that BMW’s remote and hands-free locking features could “spontaneously” lock while the keys (and even drivers’ children, in some cases) are still in the car. BMW AG was voluntarily dismissed by named plaintiff Kieva Myers, but BMW of North America still has to face the allegations presented in the suit.