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Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Does it work? Test team returns to try out new products advertised on television
Blogs:
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Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns vs. Lions live …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Robiskie, Harrison inactive
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Lawsuits claim vehicles lost $1,000 in resale value because of bad publicity
By Don Thompson
Associated Press
Published on Thursday, Apr 17, 2008
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.: A California judge has approved the settlement of a class-action lawsuit that will compensate about 800,000 Ford Explorer owners whose vehicles lost value because of a perceived rollover danger.
The settlement ends lawsuits against Ford Motor Co. in California, Connecticut, Illinois and Texas. Those lawsuits claimed that Explorers lost about $1,000 in resale value because of publicity stemming from a series of rollover accidents involving the SUV.
The class action over the loss in value is separate from the numerous death and personal-injury lawsuits involving earlier models of the Explorer that continue across the country.
Under the settlement, those who bought Explorers in model years 1991 through 2001 are eligible for $500 vouchers to buy new Explorers or $300 vouchers to buy other Ford or Lincoln Mercury vehicles.
Consumer groups and some plaintiffs objected, saying few owners will be able to take advantage of the vouchers, in part because of the poor economy and high gas prices.
They also were upset the plaintiffs' attorneys will receive as much as $25 million in fees and costs.
The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Auto Safety formally objected to the settlement on behalf of about 450,000 Explorers in California, 350,000 in Texas, 150,000 in Illinois and 50,000 in Connecticut. Some plaintiffs owned more than one Explorer, while some of the vehicles had multiple owners.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge David De Alba said, ''It's not perfect . . . but it's likely that a lot of people would have gotten nothing.''
Ford denied its vehicles were unsafe and did not admit wrongdoing. Rather, the company's attorneys said a 50-day trial last year prompted the settlement because it demonstrated that Explorers are safe to drive.
Plaintiffs must postmark their claims by April 29 and have one year to redeem the coupons once they receive them.
Information about the settlement is available at http://www.ExplorerClaims.com.
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.: A California judge has approved the settlement of a class-action lawsuit that will compensate about 800,000 Ford Explorer owners whose vehicles lost value because of a perceived rollover danger.
Get the full article here.
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