Class Action Lawsuit: Class Action Settlements

Class Action Settlements

Your legal rights will be affected if two proposed class action settlements concerning deaf-access to roadside call boxes are approved by the Court. You must act to preserve your right to sue for certain relief or to be heard at the settlement fairness hearing.A class action has been brought on behalf of deaf and hard-of-hearing motorists against the California Department of Transportation and Will Kempton, Director of Caltrans (collectively “Caltrans”), the California Highway Patrol and Mike Brown, Commissioner of CHP (collectively “CHP”), and nine local government agencies called Service Authorities for Freeway Emergencies (“SAFE’s”) alleging a denial of equal access to California highway and roads, allegind discrimination and civil rights violations relating to roadside call boxes. The lawsuit is entitled Munoz, et al. v. Sacramento Council of Governments, et al., Case No. C-05-01525 JSW, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (“Munoz lawsuit”).The Plaintiffs in the Munoz lawsuit have entered into proposed class action settlements with defendants Caltrans and CHP. Plaintiff’s counsel has approved theses settlements as fair and reasonable because they provide valuable benefits to members of the Settlement Class. Under the proposed class action settlements, the CHP and Caltrans will take specific actions to correct their alleged pattern and practice of violating the rights of members of the Settlement Class. Also, as part of the proposed settlements, the CHP and Caltrans have agreed that each will pay reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in bringing the Munoz lawsuit in the amount of $30,000 to Class Counsel, who will file a request with the Court to award these amounts if it grants final approval to the proposed settlements.