Frequently Asked Questions

A federal court authorized this Settlement Website because you have a right to know about the proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit and about all of your options before the Court decides whether to grant final approval of the Settlement. This Settlement Website explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, your legal rights, what benefits are available, and who is eligible to receive them.

The Honorable Cormac J. Carney of the United States District Court for the Central District of California is overseeing this Action. The case is known as Hall v. Fiat Chrysler America US LLC, Case No. 8:21-cv-00762.  
 

The Complaint filed in this lawsuit, Hall v. Fiat Chrysler America US LLC, was filed on April 21, 2021 by Plaintiff Donald Hall on behalf of himself and all other members of the Class in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and amended by a First Amended Complaint filed July 21, 2022.

Plaintiff alleges that he purchased a Jeep vehicle in or around 2008. With the purchase of his vehicle, Plaintiff purchased a Lifetime Maximum Care Service Contract. In July of 2020, Plaintiff was informed that FCA US had terminated the Lifetime Maximum Care Service Contract due to the vehicle not having been inspected according to the 5-year inspection requirement contained in the corresponding Lifetime Powertrain Limited Warranty. Plaintiff alleges the cancellation was wrongful.

FCA US denies Plaintiff’s allegations. The Settlement is not an admission that Defendant did anything wrong, and the Court overseeing this Action has not ruled on whether Defendant violated any law.  
 

In a class action, a person called a class representative (here, Donald Hall) sues on behalf of themselves and all other people who may have similar claims. The group of people with similar claims is called a “Class.” Each person covered by the Class definition is a “Class Member.” One court decides the issues for all Class Members. In this Action, United States District Court, Central District of California Judge Cormac J. Carney is in charge of this class action lawsuit.

The Court did not decide in favor of Plaintiff Donald Hall or Defendant FCA US LLC. Instead, both sides agreed to a settlement of the Action (“Settlement”) that was achieved with the assistance of a third-party neutral mediator. That way, they avoid the cost of a trial, and members of the Class will receive compensation from the Settlement. Mr. Hall, who was appointed the class representative by the Court, and his attorneys, believe the Settlement is best for all Class Members.

Plaintiff Donald Hall and Defendant FCA US LLC.

The Class, for purposes of this Settlement only, is defined as all persons in California who purchased a lifetime vehicle service contract for a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep branded vehicle, and had the contract terminated based on their failure to comply with the inspection terms of the lifetime limited powertrain warranty covering the vehicle.

The Court appointed Kelly, Trotter & Franzen as Class Counsel and found they are competent and experienced and will adequately represent the Class. Their address is:

KELLY, TROTTER & FRANZEN
Michael J. Trotter/Steven J. Wysocky
111 W. Ocean Blvd., 14th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90801
(562) 432-5855
 

The proposed Settlement provides for a refund of 50% of the amount the Claimant paid or had paid on their behalf for the purchase of the lifetime service contract.

Your refund amount will be calculated at 50% of the purchase price you paid for the lifetime service contract.

You must file a Claim Form with the Settlement Administrator in order to receive a Settlement payment/refund.  The Claim Form must be mailed to:

Hall v. FCA US LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391

As part of the Claim Form you will be required to provide Proof of Claim, which must include a copy of the Claimant’s Driver’s License/or other government issued photo identification AND the submittal of a document establishing a connection between the Claimant and the vehicle that matches the Claimant’s identification, including but not limited to: the vehicle title, a prior repair order, purchase contract, the service contract at issue in this litigation, vehicle registration or proof of insurance document.

The Settlement Administrator will review the Claim Form and submitted documentation to determine whether the Claim meets all qualifications for payment and, if so, the amount of the payment. Within thirty days of the close of the Claims Period, the Settlement Administrator will provide written notice to each Claimant, notifying each Claimant of: (a) the amount, if any, that FCA US will reimburse the Claimant; or (b) the basis for the Settlement Administrator’s decision to deny the Claim and the Claimant’s right to attempt to cure the deficiency.
 

If you believe the refund amount in the written notice you received is incorrect, send a letter addressed to: Hall v. FCA US LLC, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391 within twenty-one days of receiving the written notice, stating what you believe to be the correct amount of the refund and providing any additional documents to support your Claim.

No. The Settlement provides for a direct payment of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses up to $375,000 paid directly from FCA US.

No.  The Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, will not reduce your refund amount.

If no Class Member objects to the Settlement, and no appeal is sought, and the Court finally approves the Settlement, your refund will be mailed to you approximately 45 days after the Court grants final approval of the Settlement.

Class Counsel will ask the Court to award Donald Hall a Service Award of $10,000 to compensate him for the work, effort, and participation in the case, as well as the assistance he provided to Class Counsel. This amount will be separate from your refund and will not reduce your refund amount.

You will give up or “release” the following claims described below:
“Released Claims” means any and all claims, causes of action, demands, debts, suits, liabilities, obligations, damages, actions, rights of action, remedies of any kind and/or causes of action of every nature and description, whether known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, foreseen or unforeseen, regardless of any legal theory, existing now or arising in the future, by Plaintiff and any and all Class Members relating to the termination or cancellation of a lifetime service contract because of FCA US’s termination of a lifetime limited powertrain warranty, whether arising under statute (including a state lemon law), rule, regulation, common law or equity, and including, but not limited to, any and all claims, causes of action, rights or entitlements under any federal, state, local or other statute, law, rule and/or regulation, any claims relating to violation of California Business and Professions Code Sections 17200-17209, California Business and Professions Code Section 17500, or the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (California Civil Code Section 1750-1784), any consumer protection, consumer fraud, unfair business practices or deceptive trade practices laws, any legal or equitable theories, any claims or causes of action in tort, contract, products liability, negligence, fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, consumer protection, restitution, quasi contract, unjust enrichment, express warranty, implied warranty, secret warranty and/or any injuries, losses, damages or remedies of any kind, in law or in equity, under common law, statute, rule or regulation, including, but not limited to, compensatory damages, economic losses or damages, exemplary damages, punitive damages, statutory damages, restitution, recovery of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, or any other legal or equitable relief.

Class Members who remain in the Class, who do not exclude themselves, will be considered to have accepted the release and to have waived the Released Claims against the Releasees.  Class Members who successfully exclude themselves from the Class will not receive a refund as part of this Settlement.
 

If you wish to pursue your own separate lawsuit against FCA US LLC for the claims alleged in the Action, or if you otherwise wish to not be in the Class or to participate in the Settlement for whatever reason, you should exclude yourself from this Action (that is, “opt-out” of the Settlement). To opt-out and exclude yourself from the Class and this Settlement, you must submit a written request for exclusion. Your request for exclusion must include (a) the case name and case number; (b) your full name, current address, and telephone number; and (c) your signature. The request for exclusion should state in substance:

“I wish to be excluded from the case entitled Hall v. FCA US LLC, No. 21-cv-00762 pending in the United States District Court, Central District of California. I understand that by requesting to be excluded from the Action and Settlement, I will receive no money/refund from the Settlement described in this Notice.”

Your request for exclusion letter must be mailed to the Settlement Administrator postmarked no later than January 31, 2025 and addressed to:

Hall v. FCA US LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391 

 

No.  Unless you exclude yourself from the Action, you give up any right to sue Defendant for the claims raised in this Action, which this Settlement resolves.  If you have a claim or lawsuit already filed against FCA US LLC, you must speak to your attorney in that case immediately.  You may need to opt-out of this lawsuit to continue your own lawsuit.  Remember, the deadline to postmark a valid request for exclusion is January 31, 2025.

No.  You will not receive a refund if you exclude yourself from the Settlement Class.

If you don’t think the Settlement is fair, you can object to the Settlement and tell the Court you don’t agree with the Settlement or some part of it. The Court will consider your views.  
To state a valid objection to the Settlement, an objecting Class Member must provide the following information in their written objection:

(a)    the case name and number of the Action;

(b)    the objector’s full name, current address, and current telephone number;

(c)    the model, model- year, and VIN of the vehicle to which the Lifetime Maximum Care service contract applies;

(d)    a statement of the objection(s), including all factual and legal grounds for the position;

(e)    copies of any documents the objector wishes to submit in support;

(f)    the name and address of the attorney(s), if any, who is representing the objecting Class Member in making the objection or who may be entitled to compensation in connection with the objection;

(g)    a statement of whether the Class Member objecting intends to appear at the Fairness Hearing, and with or without counsel;

(h)    the identity of counsel (if any) who will appear on behalf of the Class Member objecting at the Fairness Hearing and all persons (if any) who will be called to testify in support of the objection;

(i)    the signature of the Class Member objecting;

(j)    the signature of any attorney representing the Class Member objecting in connection with the objection; and

(k)    a list of any other objections submitted by the objector, or the objector’s counsel, to any class action settlements submitted in any court in the United States in the previous five years (if the Class Member or his or her counsel has not made any such prior objection, the Class Member will affirmatively so state in the written materials provided with the objection).

The Parties will request that the Court enter an order providing that the filing of an objection allows Class Counsel or FCA US’s Counsel to notice such objecting person for, and take, their deposition consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure at an agreed-upon location, and to seek any documentary evidence or other tangible things that are relevant to the objection. Failure by an objector to make themselves available for a deposition or comply with expedited discovery requests may result in the Court striking the objection and otherwise denying that person the opportunity to be heard. The Court may tax the costs of any such discovery to the objector or the objector’s counsel should the Court determine the objection is frivolous or made for improper purpose.

You may mail your written objection to the address listed below, on or before January 31, 2025.

Hall v. FCA US LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
 

The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing in Courtroom 2 of the United States District Court, Central District of California located at the United States District Court, 3470 Twelfth Street, Riverside, California 92501-3801, Courtroom 2, 2nd Floor on March 21, 2025 at 2 PM PT.  At this hearing, the Court will determine whether the Settlement should be finally approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate.  The Court will be asked to approve Class Counsel’s request for Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, the Class Representative Service Award, and the Administration Expenses.  The Court may reschedule the Fairness Hearing without further notice to Class Members.  However, any Class Member who has submitted a written objection will be notified by Class Counsel of any rescheduling of the date and time of the Fairness Hearing. 

No.  Class Counsel will answer any questions the Judge may have.  But you are welcome to come at your own expense.  You may also hire and pay your own lawyer to attend.

You may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Fairness Hearing. Please see Question 19 for instructions on how to request to speak at the Fairness Hearing.

This Settlement Website is a summary of the basic terms of the Settlement. For more information, you may examine the Settlement Agreement and other important documents filed in this Action online on the Court’s website located at https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov. The documents filed in this case are posted on PACER and are available to view at a minimal charge. You may also contact the Settlement Administrator by calling toll free (833) 739-5988 or view the documents pertaining to the Settlement of this Action in the Documents section of this Settlement Website.

You may also contact the attorneys for the Plaintiff and the Class, whose contact information is included in FAQ 6 above, for more information or if you have specific questions.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE CLERK OF THE COURT, THE JUDGE OR FCA US LLC ABOUT THIS SETTLEMENT.
 

It is your responsibility to ensure that the Settlement Administrator has your current mailing address and telephone number on file. It is the address to which your Settlement payment/refund will be mailed. Settlement refund checks must be cashed within 90 days after the date of issuance.