Preliminary Approval of Settlement of Best Buy Class Action re Dryer Vent Installation

Some time ago, Best Buy appears to have installed dryers in peoples’ homes in a manner inconsistent with manufacturers’ printed instructions on the dryers themselves — installing “metal foil vents,” which apparently present a known increased risk of fire from lint buid-up over time.

Ashleigh Frankel, of Georgia, with the help of an army of plaintiffs’ lawyers, brought a class action against Best Buy in U.S. District Court (D. Minn.) which is before U.S. District Court Judge John R. Tunheim, but probably not for long.  Best Buy, without admitting any fault or liability has agreed to swap out buyers’ foil vents with vents made of “heavy metal” or, if applicable, to seek reimbursement from Best Buy for the cost of having such a replacement done.  The interesting question, yet to be decided, is how much money will be awarded plaintiffs’ counsel, a question expressly put off for another day…