The case is technically broken into 28 different class-action settlements — one against each fuel provider sued — and recognizes as part of the class any “person or entities who bought gasoline or diesel fuel at a gas station in any of the states at issue between Jan. 1, 2001, and Dec. 10, 2014.”
Plaintiffs contended in their suits that the fuel providers violated consumer protection laws by not disclosing that fuel expands in warmer temperatures, thereby making a gallon contain less energy and worth less during warmer months.
The defendant companies denied the claims, but agreed to the settlement to resolve the cases.
The settlement is broken down like this: BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell and Sinclair will pay a combined $22.925 million, and the remaining 18 companies will pay a combined $1.5775 million.
The other companies include B-B Oil, Casey’s General Stores, Coulson Oil, Citgo, Dansk, Diamond, E-Z MArt Stores, Flash Market, G&M Oil, J&P Flash, Love’s Travel Stops, Magness Oil, M.M. Fowler, Port Cities Oil, Sam’s Club, Sunoco, Tesoro , Thorntons, United El Segundo, Valero, World Oil and W.R. Hess.
The settlement pertains to fuel sales in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
