State Farm Files Appeal in IL Aftermarket Parts Case
Monday, May 15th, 2000 Auto Risk ManagementState Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. is asking an Illinois appeals court to throw out last fall‘s $1.2 billion judgment against the insurer for its use of generic automobile parts to repair cars damaged in a collision. In its brief to the 5th District Appeals Court in Mount Vernon, Ill., State Farm contends the lawsuit was improperly certified as a class action, and the class should be decertified. To assess whether a person has been damaged, each vehicle should have to be inspected individually to determine the quality of the repair, thus, there is no common issue of law or fact, which is what‘s required for a proper class action, spokesman Dick Luedke said. The damage-calculation method used by the plaintiffs is improper and makes no economic sense, even according to the plaintiff‘s own expert, Luedke said.
