How We Verify Settlement Information
Settlement details change: deadlines pass, courts approve or reject deals, payments are delayed by appeals. This page explains how we check the information on our settlement and case pages, and what we can and cannot promise.
The steps we follow
- Identify the case. We confirm the court and case name, so we are reporting on the right matter rather than a similarly named one.
- Find the official source. For a class settlement this is usually the court-authorized settlement website and the notice or claim form posted there. For a government action it is the agency’s own release or order.
- Record the stage. We note where the case stands: filed, settlement proposed, preliminary approval, final approval, claims open, claims closed, under appeal, or payments issued.
- Check the figures. We take amounts, eligibility windows, deadlines and payment details from the official source where one exists. Where the only sources are news reports, we say so, and where reports conflict we note the conflict rather than pick a number.
- Date the check. The page records when its status was last checked, and its Sources section lists what we checked it against.
What “status checked” means
A “Status checked” or “checked against the sources below” date tells you when we last confirmed the page’s key facts. It does not mean nothing has changed since. If a decision depends on a deadline or a payment, confirm it with the settlement administrator or the court before acting.
What we cannot confirm
- Whether you personally qualify. Eligibility depends on facts only you and the administrator know.
- What an individual payment will be. Most settlements pay a share of a fund that depends on how many people claim.
- Confidential terms. Many mass tort settlements are private, and we will not estimate figures that have not been made public.
Spotting fake settlement sites
Legitimate claim forms are free and are filed through the settlement website named in the court notice. Be wary of any site that charges a fee, asks for bank details up front, or is not named in official notices. If you are unsure whether a notice is genuine, check the case on the court’s docket or contact the administrator listed in the court documents.
Found something out of date?
Email editorial@lawsuitwatch.org with the page address and the source showing the change. Significant corrections are listed on our Corrections page. See also our Editorial Policy.