October 2021 Northeast Edition

Page 13

Continued from Cover

Attorneys in Subaru Windshield Case Request $515,000 Fee by Rebecca Barnabi, glassBYTEs.com

How much do attorneys representing Subaru car owners suing the car-maker for allegedly defective glass want? More than a half million dollars. Attorneys with Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP and Greenstone Law PC, who represented a class of Subaru vehicle owners alleging crack-prone windows in the case of Bhupendra Khona et al. v. Subaru of America Inc., filed a brief with a New Jersey federal court Aug. 12 requesting a $515,000 fee for counsel. The request, according to the brief, is for the attorneys to receive compensation equal to other attorneys in their region. The attorneys request $850 per senior partner and $225 per paralegal. U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bumb hesitated in June to approve the fee request after approving settlement of the case. Bhupendra Khona et al. v. Subaru of America Inc., was filed in California in June 2017 and a settlement reached after January

2019. As part of the settlement, the case was also filed in New Jersey where Subaru of America Inc. is headquartered.

More than 100 Subaru vehicle owners alleged in the lawsuit Subaru dealers denied warranty claims although the automaker knew the windshields in its vehicles had a defect. Subaru did not issue a recall of the windshields despite the fact a defect was found in pre-production testing. The windshield defect was also evident through dealership repair orders, warranty data and complaints from customers. Bumb approved extended warranties from five years and

unlimited mileage to eight years and unlimited mileage, and a reimbursement program for the owners of the Subarus with crackprone windshields. The reimbursement program is for members of the class action suit who paid for replacement windshields out-of-pocket. In the Aug. 12 brief, the attorneys said they worked 1,219 hours in three and a half years on the case, which amounts to $381 per hour per attorney or paralegal if the attorneys were compensated in accordance with the lodestar method. The attorneys had agreed to a capped fee of $515,000. The firms worked on the case based upon a prior market action; however, in the brief the firms said “it took skill and tenacity to vet the appropriateness of that action and meaningfully further extend the duration of the relief from five years to eight years.” (C) 2021 by glassbytes.com. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. For more information contact www.glassbytes.com.

Doesn’t ‘Age’ Well the consequences this may have for road safety.” As part of the study, TÜV Rheinland drove a vehicle with simulated damages on the windshield or incorrect calibration of the cameras on a test track. Components were artificially aged. In one scenario, there were also changes made to the chassis. Researchers observed the function of the lane-keeping assistance system deteriorated when, for example, there were simulated stone impacts in the windshield. In rare cases, the system switched off without warning. The vehicle also drove over lane markings without warning or reaction from the system. Schubert believes too little is known about how accidents, improper repairs or wear and tear affect the functionality of assistance systems and thus road safety in the long term. The study found failures could lead to as many as 2.3 million risk events each year in Europe alone.

The Real Difference.

PROS CHOOSE

GENUINE MALCO DRILL ATTACHMENTS PROUDLY MADE IN U.S.A.

360˚

22ga. Capacity

Malco Products, SBC • Annandale, MN. U.S.A. • www.malcotools.com • ©2021

Booth #35099 autobodynews.com / OCTOBER 2021 AUTOBODY NEWS 11


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

Articles inside

Classifieds ������������������������������������������������������

4min
page 72

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers ����������������������

4min
page 71

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers�����������������������

4min
page 70

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers������������

4min
page 68

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers ��������������������

4min
page 66

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers����������������������

3min
page 65

Volkswagen of Kingston����������������������������������

4min
page 62

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers��������������������������

3min
page 58

Open Road Acura of East Brunswick ���������������

4min
page 56

Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers ��������������������

3min
page 59

Northstar Kia���������������������������������������������������

5min
page 50

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus����������������������������

3min
page 52

Porsche Huntington�����������������������������������������

3min
page 48

Infiniti of Norwood ������������������������������������������

4min
page 47

Hoffman Auto Group����������������������������������������

1min
pages 41-43

Schultz Ford����������������������������������������������������

2min
page 35

Jaguar Land Rover Cherry Hill�������������������������

3min
page 34

Ourisman Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram �������������

5min
pages 36-37

Central Avenue Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram �����

0
page 31

American Icon Automotive Finishes�����������������

4min
page 30

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington ������������������������

3min
page 28

Kundert Volvo��������������������������������������������������

3min
page 29

New Holland Ford �������������������������������������������

4min
page 27

Certified Automotive Parts Association ������������

4min
page 22

Circle BMW�����������������������������������������������������

4min
page 18

Long Automotive Group����������������������������������

3min
page 20

Eastchester Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge�������������������

5min
page 26

JEN6 Equipment ���������������������������������������������

3min
page 14

Markingpendepot�com��������������������������������������

3min
page 10

Malco �������������������������������������������������������������

2min
page 13

Kelly Jeep-Chrysler�����������������������������������������

3min
page 12
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.