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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Judge Tentatively Approves Class Certification for TPS Holders from Nepal, Nicaragua, and Honduras

A federal judge has tentatively approved class certification for immigrants from Nepal, Nicaragua, and Honduras who are challenging Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson said Tuesday that the class appears appropriate for certification but noted she would finalize the ruling within the next one to two weeks. The lawsuit claims that Noem’s actions were unlawful and driven by racial bias, violating

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Amazon Faces Massive Class Action Over Alleged Overpricing of Millions of Shoppers

Amazon is facing one of the largest class action lawsuits in U.S. history after a federal judge in Seattle ruled that the company must answer claims it overcharged consumers. On September 2, U.S. District Judge John Chun certified a nationwide class that could cover up to 288 million American customers who purchased at least five new items from third-party sellers on Amazon since May 26, 2017. The lawsuit, first filed in 2021, accuses Amazon of

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Anthropic’s Copyright Settlement Marks Turning Point for AI Industry

On August 26, 2025, Anthropic, an artificial intelligence company backed by Amazon and Alphabet, announced in a court filing that it had reached a settlement with a group of U.S. authors who accused the company of copyright infringement. The lawsuit, filed last year by writers Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, alleged that Anthropic illegally downloaded as many as seven million books from pirate websites to train its AI assistant, Claude. If proven,

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Butte Residents File Class Action Over Mine Water Contamination

Earlier this month, Butte, Montana residents were advised not to drink their tap water after mine water from Montana Resources was discovered in the city’s municipal supply. The contamination, reported on August 13, was caused by an over-pressurization event that forced processed mine water through a cross-connection into the municipal system. This allowed high levels of calcium, sulfates, and potentially harmful bacteria to enter the drinking supply, raising concerns about both health risks and long-term

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Otter.ai Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Secret Meeting Recordings

Otter.ai, the popular AI-powered transcription service, is facing a class-action lawsuit after allegations surfaced that its assistant, Otter Notebook, was secretly recording virtual meetings without the knowledge or consent of all participants. Filed in the Northern District of California, the complaint argues that although Otter’s privacy policy suggests users must actively grant permission, in practice the tool often joins meetings unnoticed, capturing conversations on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. The lawsuit, brought

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Supreme Court Ruling on Birthright Citizenship Leads to Class Action Suit

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal judges lack the authority to issue nationwide injunctions, effectively reversing a lower court’s decision that had temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented or temporary immigrants. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, emphasized that federal courts must not overstep their constitutional boundaries by imposing broad rulings beyond individual cases. However, the Court did not determine the final

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AFLAC Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over Cyberattack

Just days after Aflac Inc. disclosed a significant data breach, an Alabama law firm has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging the insurer failed to adequately protect customers’ personal information. The suit, filed in federal court in Georgia by Beasley Allen Law Firm on behalf of policyholder Martha Graham, claims Aflac knew about the cybersecurity risks but failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the breach. The cyberattack, reportedly linked to the hacking group Scattered

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Ziploc Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Microplastics

Ziploc, a trusted household name in food storage, is facing a proposed class action lawsuit over allegations that its popular bags and containers release harmful microplastics when microwaved or frozen. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the suit claims that S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., the maker of Ziploc, misled consumers by labeling its products as “Microwave Safe” and “Freezer” ready—despite scientific evidence suggesting that the polyethylene and polypropylene

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United Healthcare Faces Investor Lawsuit Over Fallout From CEO’s Death

UnitedHealth Group is under legal fire as investors allege the company misled them in the wake of CEO Brian Thompson’s killing in December 2024. A proposed class action lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York claims UnitedHealth failed to disclose the financial and reputational fallout stemming from both the public backlash over its aggressive claims denial practices and the broader outrage following Thompson’s death. Investor Roberto Faller, who is leading the complaint, argues

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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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