Americans to get one-time payment from $1.1m pot thanks to Covid closures – and they don’t even need to show a receipt
AMERICANS are in line to receive a one-time payment from a $1.1 million college settlement.
Students at Gannon University, founded in Pennsylvania, can pocket the cash after claiming they were allegedly overcharged during the pandemic when classes went remote.
The money is for college students who paid tuition fees during the spring semester in 2020, per Top Class Actions.
But the settlement only applies to those who signed up after March 16, 2020.
Chiefs at Gannon University have not admitted any wrongdoing.
The institution, established in 1925, has not been found guilty in court.
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The lawsuit, seen by the U.S. Sun, claims students didn’t get the true value for money.
University chiefs said the college took decisions to protect students.
“We believe the actions we took were the right ones for our students and employees, and we are proud of our Covid response efforts,” Walter Iwanenko, the president of Gannon, told The Erie Times-News.
Bosses have said they have always acted in good faith.
Up to 3,900 students could benefit from the settlement and they don’t need to take any action.
Payments will be sent to the last-known address of students on the university file.
But they can also receive payments via Venmo or PayPal.
Payments can also be sent to students’ university accounts.
It’s not known when payments will be mailed or deposited into online accounts.
But a final approval hearing will be held on June 21 and checks will be sent out after that date.
What's a class-action settlement?
Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or 'classes,' a way to band together in court.
These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.
When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all "class members," or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.
Companies often settle class actions - offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.
These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company's doorstep.
It’s not known how much each student impacted will receive.
Students who opt out of the settlement will not receive a payment.
But those who wish to opt-out must send a letter postmarked no later than May 8.
Gannon University is a private Catholic college and has campuses in Pennsylvania and Florida.
More than 3,000 undergraduates are enrolled at the college and the university is home to more than 1,500 postgraduate students.
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Meanwhile, Americans can apply for a check up to $7,500 related to a data breach settlement.
And a $6.6 million healthcare-related settlement could see Americans pocket a check if their data was compromised.