A class action trial against Volkswagen over recalled Takata airbags has kicked off, with a lawyer for the car giant denying the airbags carried a safety risk and attacking as “quite absurd” the sought-after damages of 30 percent of the initial price tag of affected cars.
Ernst & Young has resigned from its role as Omni Bridgeway’s long-time auditor after determining a class action against it that’s being backed by the litigation funder could threaten its independence.
Employees of Romeo’s will be sent a corrected opt-out notice in class actions against the supermarket chain after it emerged that the company’s senior managers may have made unauthorised contact with group members about their participation in the proceedings.
Gym chain Viva Leisure is reportedly facing a potential class action alleging the company has engaged in unconscionable conduct in its dealings with a group of franchisees.
The lead applicant in a class action against Bayer over its allegedly defective Essure contraceptive devices has won court approval to drop her consumer law claims against the German drug maker, with a judge agreeing that the plaintiff’s defect and negligence claims had a better chance of succeeding.
Queensland and NSW sorghum farmers have appealed a ruling that shut down its class action brought over allegedly contaminated seeds, saying the judge was wrong to find Advanta Seeds did not owe them a duty of care.
ASIC has taken a leaf out of the playbook of Australia’s courts in granting litigation funders temporary relief from having to disclose certain sensitive financial information in their product disclosure statements.
Two insurers have appealed a ruling that could provide a further $11.25 million to group members in a class action against sandalwood producer Quintis, further delaying finalisation of a settlement reached in the group proceeding over a year ago.
A judge has criticised agricultural giant Monsanto for its “highly unsatisfactory” conduct in ignoring court orders in a class action over its allegedly cancer-causing Roundup pesticides.
A court-appointed contradictor has asked for changes to a $112 million settlement in the Robodebt class action against the federal government, saying it is unfair that some group members won’t receive financial compensation from the settlement, which had a “bigger set of losers” than normal.