The Buzz

One can question whether as a country we’re too eager to sue a company, but sometimes when this happens, a few bucks can be waiting for you.

A few years back there was a settlement for buyers of CDs, and those who registered a claim got something like $13. I was one of them.

Last year, there was a ring tone settlement that refunded fees to people who signed up for “free” ring tones, only to later get charged $9.99 a month. My sister’s on my cell plan, did that, and I got some of the money back. Score!

So, here’s a new one that caught my attention: Motorola was taken to task for allegedly faulty cell phone chargers. I worked in the cell phone industry for a long time, and cell phone chargers were problematic across the board in the early days. Nowadays, dust covers protect the ports during the day, and the chargers are better designed to withstand damage. The early days were more of a free for all. Those who bought a Motorola phone between 2000 and 2009 (and that would be a lot, given their market share for much of the decade) may be eligible for a settlement award.

There are some things you have to fill out, and you have to affirm that a charging problem led you to spend money on either a new phone or charger. Credit card or bank statements will likely come in handy here.

Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of reading about class action lawsuits, the great folks at The Consumerist have rounded up a few others that may be of interest to you.  Included in that list is another one of those ringtone settlements.