Raymo et al. v. FCA US LLC and Cummins Inc.
Cummins 2500 - 3500 Diesel Settlement
Case No. 2:17-cv-12168-TGB-SDD

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Expand/Collapse All
  • You received a Notice because you appear in FCA US's records as having purchased or leased a new 2013, 2014, or 2015 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 truck with Cummins Diesel between November 26, 2014 to July 13, 2016 in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

    The Court has directed that the Notice be sent to you because, as a potential member of the Class, you have the right to know about the Settlement reached in this Action between Plaintiffs (on behalf of the Class,) and Defendants and about all of your options before the Court decided to approve the Settlement.  The Notice explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, and your legal rights.

    The Court in charge of this Action is the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  The case is called Raymo, et al. v. FCA US LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 17-12168 (TGB)(SDD).  United States District Court Judge Terrence G. Berg is overseeing this Action.  The persons who brought this case are the plaintiffs, and the companies they sued are called defendants.

  • The lawsuit claims that defendants Cummins and FCA US defrauded consumers by developing, advertising, and selling Model Year 2013 – 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with a Cummins 6.7-liter diesel engine (the “Trucks”) with a Selective Catalytic Reduction System that did not perform as advertised and failed to disclose two material defects in the Trucks, namely a “washcoat defect” and “flash defect".

    The Court has not decided in favor of the Plaintiffs or Defendant. Instead, both sides agreed to a Settlement with no decision or admission of who is right or wrong. That way, all parties avoid the risks and cost of a trial, and the people affected (the Settlement Class Members) will receive benefits quickly. The Class Representatives and the attorneys believe the Settlement is best for the Settlement Class.

  • The Defendants are Cummins and FCA US. The Settlement would resolve all claims against both Defendants.

  • In a class action, one or more individuals or entities, called “class representatives,” sue on behalf of others who have similar claims. The class representatives in this case are Jeremy Raymo, Forrest Poulson, Gary Gaster, Brendon Goldstein, Manuel Pena, John Reyes, Dennis Kogler, Jeremy Batey, Clarence “Todd” Johnson, Stephen Zimmerer, Justin Sylva, Ian Hacker, Jason Gindele, James Blount, Luke Wyatt, Chris Wendel, Darin Ginther, and Matt Baffunno (collectively referred to herein as “Plaintiffs”). The Plaintiffs and the individuals or entities with similar claims are individually “class members,” together forming a class. One court resolves the issues for all class members, except for those who excluded themselves from the class.

  • Defendants have denied all liability and wrongdoing in this case and has asserted various defenses to the Plaintiffs’ claims.  The Court did not decide in favor of the Plaintiffs or Defendants. Instead, both sides agreed to the Settlement. That way, they avoid the cost and risk of a trial, and the Class Members affected can get compensation.

    This Settlement is the product of extensive negotiations between lawyers for the Plaintiffs and Defendants. The Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs’ Counsel think the Settlement is fair and in the best interests of all Class Members.

  • The Class is defined as:

    All persons and entities who purchased or leased a new 2013, 2014, or 2015 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 truck with Cummins Diesel between November 26, 2014 to July 13, 2016 in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

    Excluded from the Settlement Class are: Cummins and FCA US; any affiliate, parent, or subsidiary of Cummins or FCA US; any entity in which Cummins or FCA US has a controlling interest; any officer, director, or employee of Cummins or FCA US; any successor or assign of Cummins or FCA US; and any judge to whom this Action is assigned, his or her spouse; individuals and/or entities who validly and timely opt out of the settlement; and current or former owners of a Class Vehicles that previously released their claims in an individual settlement with Cummins and FCA with respect to the issues raised in the Action.

    If you fall within this definition, and you did not previously exclude yourself from the Class, you are a Class Member.

  • Class Members were identified using purchase and ownership records obtained from FCA US. If you are still not sure if you are a Class Member, you may contact the Settlement Administrator, JND Legal Administration, by calling 1-844-633-0696, or writing to Raymo et al v. FCA US LLC and Cummins Inc., c/o JND Legal Administration, PO Box 91227, Seattle, WA 98111.

  • In accordance with the terms of the Settlement, Defendants have agreed to pay $6,000,000.00 to Class Members (the “Settlement Fund”).  If you are a Class Member and did not request exclusion from the Class, you may be eligible to receive a payment from the Settlement Fund. The final amount to be paid to each Class Member will depend upon the fees, costs, and incentive awards approved by the Court, but is estimated to be approximately $100.40 per Eligible Truck, in the form of a check. Class Counsel estimates that if the Action were to proceed to trial resulting in a judgment in favor of the Class, the maximum possible recovery per vehicle would be approximately $1,600.00. The Settlement would resolve all claims against Defendants.

    Each Class Member shall be entitled to one pro rata share of the Net Settlement Fund for each Eligible Truck, identified by VIN, the Class Member purchased or leased during the Class Period. Thus, a Class Member who purchased one Eligible Truck during the Class Period will be entitled to one pro rata share of the Net Settlement Fund, while a Class Member who purchased two Eligible Trucks during the Class Period will be entitled to two pro rata shares of the Net Settlement Fund.  Class Members have been identified using purchase and ownership records obtained from FCA US.

    Plaintiffs will apply for reasonable Service Awards to be paid from the Settlement Fund for the time and efforts spent by Plaintiffs in this matter.  Plaintiffs will request Service Awards of $5,000 for each Plaintiff.  Any such awards shall be subject to Court approval and will be paid from the Settlement Fund.

    Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel will apply to the Court for an award of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses from the Settlement Fund.  Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel’s application for Attorneys’ Fees shall not exceed 30% of the Settlement Fund, and shall include time already spent in prosecuting this case and time estimated to be expended through final implementation of this Settlement Agreement.  Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel will also seek an award of out-of-pocket expenses already incurred in prosecuting this case and estimated expenses through the final implementation of this Settlement Agreement.  Any award of Class Counsel Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses from the Settlement Fund shall be subject to Court approval and will be paid from the Settlement Fund.

  • Class Members were identified using purchase and ownership records obtained from FCA US. The Settlement Fund will be administrated by JND Legal Administration. The Court approved the Settlement on February 18, 2025. Payments from the Settlement Fund will be distributed to Class Members who have not opted out of the Settlement in accordance with the terms of the Settlement Agreement and any applicable Order entered by the court for their respective pro rata share of the Net Settlement Fund. If you did not opt-out, you will receive a check for your share of the Settlement Fund, mailed to the address reflected in FCA US's records.

    If you have any questions regarding your eligibility to participate in the Settlement, please contact the Court-appointed Settlement Administrator by calling 1-844-633-0696.

  • Each Class Member shall be entitled to one pro rata share of the Net Settlement Fund for each Eligible Truck, identified by VIN, the Class Member purchased or leased during the Class Period. Thus, a Class Member who purchased one Eligible Truck during the Class Period will be entitled to one pro rata share of the Net Settlement Fund, while a Class Member who purchased two Eligible Trucks during the Class Period will be entitled to two pro rata shares of the Net Settlement Funds. The final amount to be paid to each Class Member will depend upon the fees, costs, and incentive awards approved by the Court, but is estimated to be approximately $100.40 per Eligible Truck. Class Counsel estimates that if the Action were certified as a Class Action for trial and proceeded to trial resulting in a judgment in favor of the Class on all claims with damages assessed at the highest value claimed, the maximum possible recovery per vehicle would be approximately $1,600.00, from all Defendants. In that event, however, Defendants would continue to dispute that the case should be certified as a class action for trial, that they should be held liable on any of Plaintiffs’ claims, or that any damages should be awarded to Plaintiffs or the Class. As such, there is a substantial risk that if the case proceeded to trial, the Class could recover less than the Settlement Amount, or nothing.

    Important! Class Members who excluded themselves in accordance with FAQ 13 below will not be able to share in the distribution from the Settlement Fund.

  • There is no date certain for making payments from the Settlement Fund.  The Settlement Fund will be distributed to eligible Class Members after all claims have been fully processed by the Settlement Administrator.  The Court approved the Settlement on February 18, 2025.

  • Unless you excluded yourself, you will remain in the Class, and that means that you cannot sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against the Defendants related to its engines in Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 trucks.  It also means that all of the Court’s orders will apply to you and legally bind you.  As set forth in Section VIII of the Settlement Agreement:

    In consideration of the Settlement and except as stated below in Sections VIII(C) and VIII(I), Plaintiffs and each Class Member, on behalf of themselves and any other legal or natural persons who may claim by, through or under them, agree to fully, finally and forever release, relinquish, acquit, discharge and hold harmless the Released Parties from any and all claims, demands, suits, petitions, liabilities, causes of action, rights, and damages of any kind and/or type regarding the subject matter of the Action, including, but not limited to, compensatory, exemplary, punitive, expert and/or attorneys’ fees or by multipliers, whether past, present, or future, mature, or not yet mature, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, contingent or non-contingent, derivative or direct, asserted or un-asserted, whether based on federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, regulation, code, contract, common law, or any other source, or any claim of any kind related arising from, related to, connected with, and/or in any way involving the Action, Defendants' alleged conduct respecting the claims at issue in the Action, that are defined, alleged or described in the FAC, the Action or any amendments of the Action.

    “Released Parties” or “Released Party” means Defendants and each of their past, present and future parents, predecessors, successors, spin-offs, assigns, holding companies, joint-ventures and joint-venturers, partnerships and partners, members, divisions, stockholders, bondholders, subsidiaries, related companies, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, associates, dealers, representatives, suppliers, vendors, advertisers, service providers, distributors and sub-distributors, agents, insurers, attorneys, administrators and advisors.  The Parties expressly acknowledge that each of the foregoing is included as a Released Party even though not identified by name herein.

    The deadline to exclude yourself from the Settlement has passed on August 21, 2024.

  • If you wanted to keep the right to sue or continue to sue Defendants on your own about the legal issues being resolved by the Settlement, then you must have taken steps to get out of the Class.  This is called excluding yourself - or sometimes referred to as “opting out.”  If you opt out of the Class, you will not receive any payment from the Settlement Fund.

  • The deadline to exclude yourself from the Settlement passed on August 21, 2024.   If you excluded yourself, you won't receive any reimbursement or extended warranty coverage, but you will retain any rights you currently have to sue the Defendants about the claims in this case. 

  • No.  If you excluded yourself from the Class, you will not be able to receive money from the Settlement.

  • The Court appointed Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Carella, Byrne, Cecchi, Olstein, Brody & Agnello, P.C., Seeger Weiss LLP, and The Miller Law Firm, P.C. as Class Counsel to represent the Class.

  • You are not personally responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees or expenses.  Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel will apply to the Court for an award of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses from the Settlement Fund.  Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel’s application for Attorneys’ Fees shall not exceed 30% of the Settlement Fund, and shall include time already spent in prosecuting this case and time estimated to be expended through final implementation of this Settlement Agreement.  Plaintiffs’ Class Counsel will also seek an award of out-of-pocket expenses already incurred in prosecuting this case and estimated expenses through the final implementation of this Settlement Agreement.  Plaintiffs’ Counsel will also seek Case Contribution Awards of $5,000 for each of the Plaintiffs who served as proposed class representatives while the case was pending.  Any award of Class Counsel Attorneys’ Fees, Expenses from the Settlement Fund, or Case Contribution Awards shall be subject to Court approval and will be paid from the Settlement Fund.

    Important! Plaintiffs’ Counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees, expenses and Case Contribution Awards will be on file with the Court, and posted on this website once available.

  • The deadline to object to the Settlement passed on August 21, 2024.

     

  • Objecting is telling the Court that you do not like something about the Settlement.  You could have objected to the Settlement only if you are a Class Member and stay in the Class.  Excluding yourself, or “opting out,” means that you are removing yourself from the Class and will have no right to proceeds from the Settlement.  If you excluded yourself, you also have no right to object to the Settlement, because the Settlement no longer affect you.

  • The Court approved the Settlement on February 18, 2025.

  • The deadline to ask to speak at the Fairness Hearing passed on August 21, 2024.

  • The deadline to file a Notice of Intention to Appear with the Court passed on August 21, 2024.

  • If you do nothing, you will remain in the Class. In that event, you will receive a check for your pro rata share of the Settlement Fund and you will be bound by the releases regarding the claims in this case as set forth in Section VIII of the Settlement Agreement, available in its entirety on the Important Documents page.

  • The Notice summarizes the Settlement.  More details are in the Settlement Agreement.  You can review the Settlement Agreement and other documents related to the Action on the Important Documents page. In addition, Plaintiffs’ Counsel’s motions for final approval of the Settlement, Plan of Distribution and request for attorneys’ fees, expenses, and Case Contribution Awards were filed with the Court on September 10, 2024, and will be available for review on the website.

    If you have questions or want more information, you may contact the Settlement Administrator toll free 1-844-633-0696 or via mail:

    Raymo v. FCA US LLC and Cummins Inc.
    c/o JND Legal Administration
    PO Box 91227
    Seattle, WA 98111

For More Information

Visit this website often to get the most up-to-date information.

Address

Raymo et al. v. FCA US LLC and Cummins Inc.
c/o JND Legal Administration
P.O. Box 91227
Seattle, WA 98111