Viking VK457 Fire Sprinklers installed in residential and commercial buildings between 1st January 2013 and 31st March 2015 were found to be faulty of getting activated even when there was no fire. Property owners who had to incur expenses on repairs or replacement or wish to get the faulty parts replaced fall under the purview of this class action settlement whose details have been elaborated below:
Eligibility For Making Claim: You will be eligible to file a claim if you are the owner of a commercial or residential building containing the Viking VK457 fire sprinkler between 1st January 2013 and 31st March 2015, and had to incur a replacement cost or bear the water damage sustained from a non-fire activation.
Proof Of Purchase: Adequate documentation proving that the claimant incurred expenses for the replacement of sprinklers is required in support of the claim made. In the case of Activation Claims, consumers have to provide invoices, photographs, insurance records, receipts, contractor or installer records, inspection records, credit card statements, or the like proving recoverable damages, stating the date the activation occurred and supporting their claim in favor of a non-fire activation. For Replacement Claims, you need to carry documents proving that you incurred the replacement cost of the subject sprinklers.
Potential Claim Amount: Up to $35 will be provided against out-of-pocket replacement costs incurred on each sprinkler. Consumers are eligible to be reimbursed 70% of property damage expenses for non-fire activation cases occurring post 9th May 2020. This benefit shall not be offered to non-fire activations occurring before 9th May 2020.
Case Summary: The Viking fire sprinkler class-action lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Gayl Jackson in July 2018. He claimed that the sprinklers were defective and got activated even when there was no fire. Such activations caused the buildings to be unnecessarily doused with water and led to property damage over time. Since the time of filing the class action lawsuit, both parties have spent a significant amount of time and effort in reviewing the 79500 plus pages of relevant documents litigating the issue. Though Viking Group Inc. has not agreed to any kind of wrongdoing, they have decided to resolve all claims made against them via a settlement.
This settlement is expected to benefit individuals who sustained property damages or had to incur replacement costs. You can gain further insights on how to determine the Viking fire sprinkler mode from the settlement website. According to the website, this settlement was reached via an in-person mediation session that was overseen by a retired judge. Though the extensive process spanned several months, it led to a favorable conclusion for the claimants. Consumers can have their sprinklers replaced under this settlement free of cost with a similar model of greater or equal quality. However, if they have also paid for the replacement cost out of their pocket, then they are entitled to get a reimbursement of $35 per sprinkler replaced.
Claim Form: https://www.vk457sprinklersettlement.com/Home/SubmitClaim
Deadline for Submitting Claim: Class members who wish to avail themselves of replacement benefits have to submit the claim form by 28th February 2022. The deadline for claim submission in the case of activation benefits is 28th August 2022.
Final Hearing Date: 6/18/2020
Important Note: The deadline for objecting to or excluding yourself from the Viking class action lawsuit settlement was 8th May 2020. Claimants could avail of the Activation Claim forms from 9th May 2020. In the case of Activation Claims, of non-fire activations occurring on or after 9th May 2020, the claims have to be submitted within 180 days post non-fire activation to the Settlement Administrator. These claims include expenses borne on material and labor, alternative lodging and meals, making repairs or replacement to the property, and remediating water damage. Replacement Claims, on the other hand, can be submitted immediately to get reimbursement for replaced sprinklers or have the faulty ones replaced at no added cost.
Case Name: Jackson, et al. v. Viking Group Inc., et al., Case No. 8:18-cv-02356-PJM, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Claims Administrator
Viking VK457 Sprinkler Class Action Settlement
c/o Epiq
P.O. Box 3127
Portland, OR 97208-3127
[email protected]
1-855-951-0810
Class Counsel
Joseph G. Sauder
Matthew D. Schelkopf
Joseph B. Kennedy
SAUDER SCHELKOPF LLC
James P. Ulwick
KRAMON & GRAHAM PA
Defense Counsel
John P. Lavelle Jr.
Franco A. Corrado
MORGAN LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
