Federal Class Action Settlement Moving Through the Courts
The judge overseeing the federal class action lawsuit in the Dr. George Tyndall case recently issued an order that moves the proposed $215 million settlement one step closer to approval.
An order issued on April 18 states that the judge “takes no issue with the substantive terms of the settlement between Plaintiffs and Defendants.” He also asked the parties to provide some additional information. It is common for a judge to ask for clarifications, additional details or structural modifications to a class action settlement proposal.
The parties will address the judge’s comments in the coming weeks. The settlement remains on track.
“[T]he Court believes that the proposed settlement, as is, ultimately may be fair and reasonable under the prevailing standards,” the order states. “The Court raises these points in its effort to seek analytical clarity and in order to satisfy its burden to determine whether to give notice of the proposed settlement to the class… {A}nd the Court aims to ensure that the parties’ agreement does not present any undisclosed or unaddressed concerns that could impair the settlement process after preliminary approval.”
The proposed class action settlement, announced last October, would provide $215 million to compensate students who received women’s health services from Tyndall at USC’s student health center.
The university continues to believe that the federal class action settlement is the best way to bring a fair and respectful resolution to as many former patients as possible. This settlement is designed to provide relief in a manner that respects the dignity and privacy of all women impacted by this experience. It allows them to receive compensation without the difficulty or uncertainty of a public trial, regardless of when their visits occurred.