[Update] Optical Disk Driver Class Action Settlement – Get $10 Per Drive (Most People Will Be Eligible)

Update 10/25/22: Another payout is coming. Subject line is ‘Optical Disk Drive Settlement: Your 2nd and Final Digital Payment is Ready’

Update 5/12/22: An email went out now with payment details. Payments will be sent out in June. Hat tip to reader MisterBill

Originally posted 2/15/17:

What’s The Settlement For?

Direct link to settlement

• The plaintiffs allege a conspiracy involving ODD suppliers to fix, maintain, or stabilize the prices of ODDs at artificially high levels in violation of federal and state antitrust laws.
• An ODD is an Optical Disk Drive. You may know an Optical Disk Drive as:
  • DVD-RW
  • DVD-ROM
  • COMBO drive

Who’s Eligible?

• Must have lived in one of the following states: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wisconsin during the period of April 1, 2003 and December 31, 2008.
• Have purchased a new computer with an internal ODD or a stand alone ODD designed for internal use within a computer, or an ODD designed to be attached externally to a computer for your own use between April 1st, 2003 and December 31st, 2008.
• No receipt is necessary

How Much Should You Expect?

• The settlement pool is $124,500,000
• Estimates put this at $10 per drive, but this will vary based on how many people make a claim

Other Info

You have until July 1st, 2017 to make a claim or exclude yourself from this class action.

Our Verdict

I imagine most readers will have purchased a device with a optical disk drive within this time period, so you might as well file a claim unless you plan on suing individually. You can view more class action settlements we’ve covered here & our introduction to these settlements here.

I know a lot of people complain about the amount of money that goes to lawyers in these cases, but I do think class action lawsuits are an important way to prevent large scale companies from abusing consumer laws and this is why I always post relevant class actions on this website.

Hat tip to DDG