The second half of 2024 brought pivotal developments in class action litigation, with billions in settlements finalized, deadlines set for 2025, and new cases emerging across industries. This overview highlights the most significant updates, trends, and key takeaways for businesses and organizations.
Major Settlements at a Glance
1. Discover Merchant Settlement: Addressing allegations of credit card misclassification, proposed modifications to the settlement fund would raise the total to between $540 million and $1.2 billion, with final revisions expected in January or February 2025. The filing deadline is not anticipated before November 2025.
2. Visa/Mastercard Interchange Fee Settlement: Businesses that accepted Visa or Mastercard transactions from 2004 to 2019 must file claims for their share of the $5.54 billion settlement by February 4, 2025.
3. Blue Cross Blue Shield Provider Settlement: Healthcare providers are eligible for a $2.8 billion payout—the largest antitrust settlement within the healthcare industry’ s history. The filing deadline is set for July 29, 2025.
4. Opioid Settlements: Significant progress has been made in opioid-related settlements, with resolutions now achieved for both healthcare providers and third-party payors. These settlements reflect ongoing efforts to address the widespread impact of the opioid crisis:
Acute Care Hospitals: Secured a notable $651 million settlement.
Third-Party Payors: Achieved a $300 million settlement with distributors after reaching a $78 million settlement earlier with McKinsey.
Additional settlements are possible as litigation continues against non-settling defendants.
5. Generic Pharmaceuticals Antitrust Litigation: All tracks in the Generic Pharmaceuticals Antitrust Litigation have secured settlements, including a $275 million agreement for end-payors announced at the end of 2025. This litigation continues to evolve as one of the largest pharmaceutical antitrust cases.
Industry-Specific Updates
Automotive: The Dealer Management Systems litigation reached a total settlement of $129.5 million, including a $100 million settlement in 2024 that resolved the Dealership class track. Meanwhile, the Vendor class received class certification, and a $630 million settlement was created for the class in late January 2025.
Financial Services: Settlements reached include $80 million for European Government Bonds and $46 million for Interest Rate Swaps.
Food Processing: Key recoveries include $175 million in new Packaged Seafood (Tuna) settlements and an additional $15 million in settlements within Pork litigation.
Pharmaceuticals: Beyond the Generic Pharma case, notable settlements include $5.475 million for Seroquel XR and class certification for third-party payors in a case involving Tracleer.
Emerging Trends in Class Action Litigation
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs): Litigation against PBMs, including an FTC investigation and a GoodRx Multidistrict litigation (MDL), highlights increased scrutiny in this sector.
Food Industry: In food litigation, the newly forming Frozen Potato Products MDL highlights a growing area of focus.
Construction: New cases surrounding Steel/Rebar and PVC Pipes signal growing litigation activity in construction.
Pharmaceuticals: The Insulin Antitrust MDL involves lawsuits accusing major insulin manufacturers of price-fixing and inflating insulin costs, with proposed classes including direct purchasers, consumers, and third-party payors affected by the alleged price manipulation. This case is part of a broader trend in drug-related litigation, which also includes cases involving Enbrel and Tecfidera recently filed.
Key Takeaways for 2025
Deadlines for Visa Mastercard and Blue Cross Blue Shield are fast approaching—be ready. New cases in food, construction, and pharmaceuticals bring fresh opportunities, while automotive, healthcare, financial services, and commodities remain active areas.
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