Nationwide Class Action Settlement Looms in ‘Bait-and-Switch’ Claims vs. Verizon

The New Jersey Superior Court granted preliminary approval Dec. 15 of a proposed nationwide class action settlement, which, if given final approval at a March 22 fairness hearing, will resolve all claims in all class actions currently pending against Verizon related to the carrier’s hidden administrative charges, attorney Stephen DeNittis wrote U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi for New Jersey in Trenton in a letter Thursday (docket 3:23-cv-01138). DeNittis Osefchen's DeNittis represents the plaintiffs in two class actions alleging that Verizon engages in “bait-and-switch” schemes by prominently advertising flat monthly rates on postpaid plans and then charging higher rates after customers sign up for service (see 2303010015). If the proposed settlement is approved March 22, the parties have agreed that DeNittis’ two class actions will be voluntarily dismissed immediately thereafter, said the letter. All parties have agreed to jointly request that the judge administratively stay the two class actions until April 1, it said. If the proposed class action settlement has been approved by that time, the plaintiffs in both class actions will file a voluntary dismissal of those actions, said the letter.