Class Actions Blog

About Steve

Steve Larson has been representing investors, consumers and employees in class actions in Oregon for over 20 years. He is a shareholder at the law firm of Stoll Berne in Portland, Oregon. 
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About the Blog

This blog is intended to provide information to the general public and to practitioners about developments that may impact Oregon class actions. 

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Legal Momentum Builds in Alaska Foster Care Reform: Class Action Advances on Behalf of 3,000+ Children

A major class action lawsuit aimed at overhauling Alaska’s troubled foster care system has cleared a key legal hurdle, allowing the case to proceed. Filed by advocacy groups including the ACLU of Alaska and national nonprofit groups like Children’s Rights, the lawsuit represents more than 3,000 children currently in state custody. Plaintiffs allege that Alaska’s Department of Health has failed to provide stable placements, timely mental health services, and proper case management—violations that have led

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Oregon Supreme Court Greenlights Class-Action Lawsuit Against Tillamook for Alleged Misleading Marketing

The Oregon Supreme Court ruled on April 4, 2025, that a class-action lawsuit against the Tillamook County Creamery Association can move forward. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2020, claims that Tillamook misled consumers by branding its dairy products as coming from small, family-owned farms in Tillamook County. In reality, the majority of its milk is sourced from large-scale factory farms in Eastern Oregon. The court’s decision reverses an earlier dismissal by a lower court, opening

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Edison International Faces Shareholder Lawsuit Over Wildfire Mismanagement

Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE), is facing a class-action lawsuit from shareholders who claim the company misled them about its wildfire prevention efforts. The lawsuit alleges that Edison provided false assurances regarding its de-energization strategies, which were meant to mitigate wildfire risks during extreme weather. This legal action comes in the wake of the Eaton Fire, which ignited on January 7, 2025, in Altadena, California. The fire, fueled by strong

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Albuquerque DWI Scheme Sparks Class-Action Lawsuit

A class-action lawsuit accuses the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) of unfairly punishing individuals through a corrupt DWI vehicle forfeiture program. Since its inception, APD has seized over 8,000 vehicles, generating more than $8 million in revenue. Victims claim they faced severe penalties before trial, even when charges were dropped, disproportionately affecting low-income residents. The lawsuit also alleges a bribery scheme involving former APD officers Alba and Joshua Montaño, who funneled arrestees’ driver’s licenses to paralegal

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Seattle Law Firm Files Class-Action Lawsuit Over Gore-Tex “Greenwashing” Claims

A Seattle law firm, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, has filed a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of Micah Mason, a Spokane Valley resident, against W.L. Gore & Associates, the maker of Gore-Tex. The lawsuit alleges that Gore-Tex products contain harmful “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, despite being marketed as environmentally friendly. The suit claims that the company has engaged in “greenwashing,” misleading consumers about its environmental responsibility. PFAS are synthetic chemicals known to cause health

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MGM Resorts Settles Data Breach Lawsuit for $45 Million

MGM Resorts has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $45 million following two significant data breaches that affected approximately 37 million individuals. The breaches, which occurred in 2019 and 2023, exposed sensitive customer information, including driver’s license numbers, passport details, and personal addresses. In the 2019 breach, hackers stole critical data, while the 2023 incident involved a ransomware attack that disrupted MGM’s key systems for several days. Plaintiffs’ attorneys allege that during both incidents,

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Surgeon General’s Warning on Alcohol and Cancer Sparks Legal Battle

In early January, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy made headlines by declaring that alcohol consumption poses a significant cancer risk, leading to the consideration of warning labels on alcoholic beverage containers. This announcement has sparked a wave of legal action, with personal injury law firm Parker Waichman LLP swiftly moving to file a class-action lawsuit against the alcohol industry. The firm’s claims hinge on the argument that manufacturers have long been aware of alcohol’s cancer

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Apple Agrees to $95 Million Settlement Over Siri Privacy Lawsuit

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accused the tech giant of eavesdropping on users through their devices’ virtual assistant, Siri. The lawsuit, which has been in court for over five years, claimed that Apple secretly recorded private conversations when users accidentally activated Siri, without their knowledge or consent. These recordings were allegedly reviewed by human contractors to improve Siri’s performance or shared with third parties for targeted

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$2.8 Billion Medicaid Fraud Leads to Class Action Suit Against the State of Arizona

The state of Arizona is battling with a devastating sober living crisis, where $2.8 billion was stolen from the state’s Medicaid system through fraudulent billing for behavioral health services. A class action complaint has been filed against Arizona’s Medicaid agency (AHCCCS) and the Department of Health, accusing them of gross negligence and wrongful death. The fraud, which grew from $43 million to $2.8 billion, primarily impacted Native Americans, leading to homelessness, addiction, and in some

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Ford County Takes on Petrochemical Giants with Class Action Lawsuit Over Plastic Recycling Deception

Ford County, Kansas, has filed a class action lawsuit against petrochemical giants like ExxonMobil, accusing them of misleading the public about the recyclability of plastic. The county claims these companies, along with industry groups, falsely marketed plastic recycling as a viable solution to plastic waste, despite the U.S. recycling rate being under 10%. The lawsuit argues that these deceptive practices have contributed to a public nuisance of plastic waste. Supported by reports from the Center

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Carrier Global Reaches $730 Million Settlement Over PFAS Chemical Claims in Firefighter Foam Products

Carrier Global Corporation has agreed to a substantial $730 million settlement to address claims related to its fire protection subsidiary, Kidde-Fenwal’s, use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” have come under increasing scrutiny due to their potential health risks and environmental impact. The settlement stems from numerous lawsuits alleging that Carrier’s firefighting foam products contributed to contamination and health issues, making it a significant development in the

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Blue Cross Blue Shield Settles For $2.8 Billion in Healthcare Provider Suit

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has reached a hefty $2.8 billion settlement to wrap up a class-action lawsuit from healthcare providers who claimed the insurer engaged in unfair practices that hurt their reimbursement rates. This lawsuit highlighted some serious concerns about competition in the healthcare market, and the settlement is set to provide much-needed financial relief to thousands of affected providers. Beyond the money settlement, BCBS has also promised to improve their practices by creating

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Nike’s Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Ignites Conversations on Workplace Equality

A tentative trial date has been established in the ongoing sex discrimination lawsuit against Nike, which accuses the company of fostering a workplace culture that discriminates against women. The suit, initiated by a former employee, alleges that female staff members were consistently overlooked for promotions and subjected to unfair pay practices compared to their male counterparts. As the case progresses, it is expected to bring significant attention to issues of gender equity within corporate environments,

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Landmark Ruling Allows Class-Action Lawsuit Against L’Oréal to Proceed Over Hair Relaxer Cancer Risks

A recent ruling by a U.S. District Judge has allowed a class-action lawsuit concerning hair relaxer products, specifically targeting brands like L’Oréal and Revlon, to move forward. The lawsuit claims that these manufacturers misled consumers about the safety and effectiveness of their products, with allegations that they exaggerated benefits while downplaying potential health risks linked to cancer. The lawsuit is based on a National Institutes of Health study showing that regular users of these hair

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Wynn Resorts Shareholders to Split $70 Million Settlement

New York-based law firm Pomerantz LLP has filed a motion for preliminary approval on a $70 million settlement against Wynn Resorts Ltd. Hundreds of shareholders will split the class action settlement stemming from allegations that the company didn’t disclose the sexual misconduct of former CEO Steve Wynn. Shareholders of Wynn Resorts Ltd. allege their stock shares plummeted as a result of the 2018 sexual misconduct allegations and the failure of Wynn executives to announce any

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PFAS Detected in Trojan Condoms Prompts Proposed Class Action Suit

A proposed class action against the consumer goods company Church and Dwight has been filed in Manhattan Federal court. The popular condom brand Trojan has been called out for producing unsafe products, in particular their ‘Ultra Thin’ brand of condoms for containing per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. PFAS have become known as “forever chemicals” due to the fact that they do not break down easily in the human body or environment. These forever

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Hormel and Others To Pay $57.4 Million In Wage Suppression Lawsuit

A combined $57.4 million payout has been agreed upon by three meat industry giants to settle a proposed class action lawsuit. Cargill, National Beef Packing, and Hormel have been accused of suppressing wages for workers at 140 different processing plants. This decision brings the total settlement to over $200 million since the lawsuit was initiated in 2022. Tens of thousands of workers allege a years-long conspiracy among leading processors to keep wages low through the

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