【2022/4】People have gradually started receiving emails saying that a link will be sent on April 7 to claim the settlement payment online. The final payout amount is $24.59 per bottle. The email subject line is “Yamagata v. Reckitt Benckiser - Notice of Upcoming Settlement Payment”.
Many people buy Move Free when traveling back home. If you purchased Move Free Advanced products between May 28, 2015 and June 24, 2021, take note: you may be eligible for an estimated $22 payout per bottle. The case is titled Yamagata v. Reckitt Benckiser LLC.
Background
The class action plaintiffs sued Move Free for false advertising, arguing that its main ingredients do not actually help support joint health and that the marketing was therefore misleading. In June 2017, the plaintiffs filed the case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (complaint link), and in 2019 the court approved the case to proceed as a class action.
The plaintiff class and defendant Reckitt Benckiser have reached a settlement agreement. The defendant agreed to pay $50 million to resolve the lawsuit, while denying any wrongdoing. The settlement fund will be divided among those who submit valid claim forms.
Important dates
Besides accepting the settlement and receiving about $22 per bottle, you also had other options. There were strict deadlines for filing a claim or taking other action:
| Your option | What it means | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Submit a claim form | Receive approximately $22 in cash per bottle under the settlement | November 8, 2021 |
| Exclude yourself from the settlement | Be excluded from the settlement and keep your right to sue on your own | October 14, 2021 |
| Object to the settlement | Tell the court why you object to the settlement. You could still submit a claim form, but if the court approved the settlement, you would still be bound by it | October 14, 2021 |
| Attend the settlement fairness hearing | You could appear at the hearing in person | |
| Do nothing | Receive no payment and give up your right to sue separately |
How to submit a claim
If you bought Move Free from an online retailer such as Amazon, you may already have received a claim ID. But if not, that is fine too.
You can submit your claim at this website, and the process is very straightforward. You only need to provide your personal information. If you purchased 3 bottles or fewer, no proof of purchase is required; if you bought more than that, you will need to upload documentation. There are also several payment options: you can choose a paper check, an eCheck, or a gift card.
Receipts
If you bought more than 3 bottles of Move Free, I suggest trying hard to find your receipts in order to maximize your payout. If you purchased in-store at Costco or Sam's Club, the store can often reprint old receipts. Some people also say that Costco.com online chat may be able to help.
Finally, a reminder that the claim deadline was in November 2021, so if you bought Move Free, this was one not to miss.