Lady Chooses Small Claims Court Instead of Class Action Rip Off

A Torrance, California woman disturbed that she was not getting the mileage Honda had promised as the battery aged in her Honda Civic hybrid declined to join a class action lawsuit and instead hauled Honda into small claims court. Honda had promised a 50 mpg average but as the battery deteriorated the mileage dropped to 30 mpg. The lady is suing for the trouble she has encountered plus the extra gasoline she had to buy. Under California law she is limited to $7500 damages in small claims court however had she joined the class action suit she would have probably received $200 cash and a rebate of $500 or $1,000 to purchase a new Honda. The trial lawyers will receive $8.5 million.

Notwithstanding the big pay off for the lawyers and the niggardly compensation to the car owners the legal community defends the class action route. "In the class-action, the potential claimants don't have to do anything," Jacoby said. "It's designed to be an efficient way for a court to handle multiple claims of the same type." Of course under the terms of the settlement the cash award doesn't begin to compensate the car owners' damages but they do provide incentives to buy the same lemon again. Then we get this bull: "They're representing the underdog, and they believe they are performing a public duty. Many of these people could not get lawyers to represent them individually."

Then again many of these people don't need lawyers.They can do it themselves. More.