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If you own LG French doors or side-by-side refrigerators manufactured between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2017, you may be entitled to compensation ranging from US$50 to more than US$3,500 as part of the course-LG last week The lawsuit was settled.
For details on how to file a claim, please see "How to know if you are within the scope of the settlement" below.
According to one of the lawyers representing the plaintiff, Amey Park, the lawsuit alleges that nearly 1.6 million LG refrigerators may stop cooling due to compressor-related issues, because compressor-related issues will expire a few months after ownership. It's a few years. The settlement covers 31 models.
In the settlement agreement (PDF), LG insisted that the refrigerator was not defective and denied any wrongdoing. "The settlement resolves the pending litigation regarding the so-called refrigerator cooling problem," said John Taylor, senior vice president of LG Electronics America. "In short, we agree that the settlement is to avoid further litigation costs and to meet customer satisfaction."
As part of the settlement agreement, LG will provide eligible consumers with subsidies ranging from US$50 to more than US$3,500, depending on the problems they encounter, as well as an extended five-year warranty (from the date of purchase) and For any future enhanced customer service plans and problem-related repairs.
LG side-by-side refrigerators and side-by-side refrigerators generally perform well in our laboratory tests, but our 2019 member survey showed that LG side-by-side refrigerators and side-by-side refrigerators only received a “good” rating in terms of predictive reliability.
"A good rating on this attribute is the middle rating of the CR rating scale, which means that their problem rate is hovering at the average level that people should expect in the first five years of owning a refrigerator," said CR Assistant Simon Slater. director. "Compared with other refrigerators we evaluated, it is at a mid-level in terms of reliability."
Our investigation also focuses on refrigerator problems, including compressor problems. Our 2019 survey shows that LG French doors are an outlier of compressor problems. In our sample, 8% of LG French doors have such problems, while only 3% of the overall refrigerators. Other outliers for compressor problems include 9% Bosch side-by-side, 8% Kenmore French doors, and 8% Electrolux side-by-side.
Who is eligible? Consumers who own covered models produced between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2017. You can view the list of covered models that include the range of relevant serial numbers on the settlement website. Park said LG will also send prequalified claim forms to certain customers in its records.
What are the compensation options? The compensation options depend on the number of so-called "no cooling events" you have experienced, the repair time, and whether you can provide proof of receipt, repair invoice, photo or other document.
If you have enough documentation and at least one “no cooling event”, you can get parts and labor compensation up to $1,000, unsuccessful repairs up to $1,000 by LG and its authorized repair providers, delayed repairs up to $1,000, and up to $3,500 in property damage and up to $650 in replacement of refrigerators.
If your refrigerator stops cooling but you cannot provide evidence, you can still file a claim through a sworn statement and receive between 50 and 450 USD for repairs and property damage.
LG has also extended the warranty period of all settlement group members to five years from the date of purchase and provided them with an enhanced customer service plan (details below).
For more information on compensation options, please refer to the settlement website.
What is an enhanced customer care program? The Enhanced Customer Care Program is a dedicated customer service program for consumers who own these refrigerators and continue to experience cooling problems during the extended warranty period. According to the settlement website, the plan will provide faster repair services, more repair technicians, and additional compensation. Eligible consumers can get a purchase price of at least $500 for three or more "no cooling events", a purchase price of at least $400 for delayed repairs exceeding 30 days, and a proof of property damage of up to $3,500. The plan will last for at least three years.
How do I file a claim? You can file a claim by visiting the settlement website and filling out the claim form. You can also email the completed claim form to LG, or mail a physical copy of the form to the company.
What if you have a covered model but don’t encounter problems? If you own a covered model but have not experienced cooling issues, as long as a "no cooling event" occurs within five years from the date of purchase, you are still eligible for an extended five-year warranty and an enhanced customer service plan. Even if your warranty or extension Your five-year warranty has expired, and you will receive these benefits before September 22, 2021. You can obtain these benefits by submitting an enhanced warranty claim form (PDF) or contacting LG.
What is the deadline? The deadline for filing claims for past cooling issues is January 11, 2021. If you want to withdraw from the settlement yourself so that you can file another lawsuit against LG on this issue, or comment or object to the settlement, you must be no later than November 23, 2020.
When will you receive the money? Once the settlement is finally approved by the court, the payment will be sent to eligible consumers. The final approval hearing is scheduled for December 15, 2020 in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.
Clarification: This story was originally published on September 15 and has now been updated to include the level of additional repairs and damage compensation that consumers are entitled to.
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I am obsessed with smart home technology and turned my obsession into a new story in Consumer Reports. When I am not writing about products, I spend time outdoors hiking and skiing or flying in the air in a small plane. For my recent obsessions, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@danwroc).
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