Buffalo Bills Settle Text-Messaging Class Action Lawsuit

According to the Buffalo News, the Buffalo Bills football team has agreed to pay up to $3 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accused it of sending too many alerts to fans who signed up for a text-messaging service.

The paper reported that a Bills fan, Jerry Wojcik, claimed in a 2012 lawsuit that the team violated an agreement to send fans text messages, by sending him 13 over a two week period when it promised to only send five per week.

The class action lawsuit was originally deemed as frivolous by some legal experts—however, the Bills have agreed to provide up to $2.5 million in debit cards to people who had signed up for the text service, along with $562,500 to Wojcik’s lawyers, and $5,000 in cash to Wojcik as class representative, according to the News.

The paper reported that the cards could be used at the Bills store at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park or online at the team’s website, however, they cannot be redeemed for cash.

“The Buffalo Bills have reached a settlement in this matter which we believe is in the best interest of our organization and our fans. The purpose of the Bills’ voluntary, opt-in text messaging program was to provide our fans with information they requested about the team. The organization maintains that our text messaging program was in compliance with the law,” Bills representative Scott Berchtold said in a statement.

What Should I Do If I Think I Am Being Wronged By a Company or Organization?

While this lawsuit may seem silly to some, it should be noted that text messages could cost customers money, if they belong to a cellular plan that charges for data.

A class action lawsuit made sense in this matter, as it serves as a representative case in which one or many individuals sustained damages in similar situations and sue on behalf of themselves and all others who have been wronged by the acts of a defendant.

If you have suffered because of the actions of company or organization in a similar fashion, and you think your case could reach class action status, please contact Gary S. Graifman, Esq. to schedule a free initial consultation or complete the form on this page.

Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. – Class Action Lawyers

Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/bills-agree-to-3-million-settlement-in-fans-text-message-lawsuit-20140421