News in Brief: March 22, 2016 – Electrolux, BMW and More

Today in the news we have the unraveling of a foul-smelling washer class action, a cosmetics website trying to skirt liability, preliminary approval of a vehicle water pump settlement and an overtime suit filed against a construction materials supplier. Read on for the details!

Back to the Drawing Board for a Class of Washer Owners

Class certification was reversed in a case that claimed certain front-loading Electrolux washers were defective and could allow foul-smelling mold to grow inside the machines. The decision was made after the judge found that not all consumers could make the same misrepresentation claims. According to his decision, Electrolux customers had not all been exposed to the same advertisements before purchasing their washing machines.

Lush Cosmetics Accused of Consumer Protection Law Violations

Lush Cosmetics has been hit with a proposed class action claiming that it tried to avoid its duties to customers by stating that it wasn’t liable for any problems stemming from the use of its website. According to the lawsuit, Lush’s website claimed that the company wasn’t responsible for any issues with its products or with cybersecurity in an attempt to bar customers from bringing forward any legal claims. The lawsuit is asserting that Lush is indeed responsible for its actions, both for the products that it sells and for the protection of its customers’ personal information.

BMW Owners Drift into Preliminary Settlement Approval

A judge has granted preliminary approval to a settlement in a case that claimed BMW sold a number of Mini Coopers with defective water pumps. The proposed settlement will have BMW paying for the repair or replacement of the allegedly faulty parts. Owners of the 2006-2012 Mini R55, R56, R57, R58, R59 and R60 vehicles will be able to claim up to $500 from the settlement.

Martin Marietta Materials Doesn’t Pay, According to Lawsuit

Martin Marietta Materials (great alliteration by the way) is facing a class action claiming that it failed to pay its workers proper overtime wages. The lawsuit claims that Martin Marietta would regularly require its employees to work more than 40 hours during the week, including during lunch periods, and did not pay overtime for the extra work, all in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.