Many Lithia customers may be entitled to cash

WASILLA — Did that car in your driveway come from Lithia Chevrolet sometime between late 2002 and the middle of this year?

If so, an Anchorage law firm says you might be entitled to up to $400 cash and $500 in vouchers. The firm is urging car owners to visit lithiaautomotivesettlement.com, or call (888) 248-3948 to see if they qualify.

A press release from the firm, Flanigan and Bataille, states:

“Purchasers who financed a new or used vehicle with the assistance of Lithia between Oct. 1, 2002, and June 6, 2013, and whose interest rate was increased by Lithia without their knowledge are eligible to recover cash compensation in the amount of $150 cash plus $300 in freely transferable vouchers that can be redeemed for purchase of parts or services at any of the Lithia dealerships located in Alaska. … Consumers who purchased a new or used vehicle from any of the Lithia dealerships located in Anchorage or Wasilla between Oct.1, 2002, and April 25, 2007, whether or not they financed their vehicle with the assistance of Lithia, are entitled to recover $250 in cash and $200 in freely transferable vouchers … if they paid a documentation preparation or administrative fee that was not included in the advertised price.”

The firm says the settlement, part of a class-action lawsuit brought against the dealership eight years ago, applies to all Lithia dealerships in the state. That includes the Chevy dealership in Wasilla, but also a number of the company’s Anchorage dealerships, including Lithia Chrysler Jeep, Lithia Dodge of South Anchorage, Chevrolet of South Anchorage, BMW of Anchorage, Lithia Hyundai of Anchorage and Lithia Imports of Anchorage.

The law firm’s press release speculates that the settlement could potentially be the biggest class action settlement in the state’s history.

“Notice of the settlement has been mailed to the over 50,000 Alaska consumers who may be eligible for compensation under the settlement,” the press release states.

That actual number of claimants won’t be final until the lawsuit reaches the end of its claim period. That deadline is Feb. 10, 2014, and the settlement website says that claims have to be postmarked or filed electronically by then.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.