Hi Forrest, If you want to submit a claim for this class action settlement, you need to go over to LawnMowerClass.com–that's where you submit your mower and engine info…

Hi Rich, A number of folks have been having issues with the website–they're clearly experiencing high-volume traffic; it's up right now–I just checked. All I can say is be patient–and everyone should keep in mind that you have until August to submit your claim.

Hi Greg, You need to go over to the website LawnMowerClass.com to submit a claim for this settlement;

Hi Jackie, I'd go ahead with the serial number as that's what they're illustrating; if you're really concerned, you may want to use the print out version in which you're most likely able to write both numbers (if you have both a model # and serial # for the engine) on the form, and mail in; if you fill in the online version, I'm guessing there are specific fields with limited space to fill in the numbers–so you most likely will only be able to type in one number. Keep in mind, mailing it in is quite alright as the deadline to do so is in August. Other than that, all I can suggest is contacting the settlement administrator directly at 877-773-8196, though I can't say whether you'll actually get a "live" person to ask; whenever I've called, I've gotten recorded messages.

Hi George, You're not the only one who has commented re: difficulties over at the LawnMowerClass.com website; Hard to say whether your information has been accepted or not–I'm assuming you haven't received an email confirmation that your claim was received either–? What I'd suggest given the amount of trouble folks have been having is to request a hard copy of the claim form–you can do so by either clicking on that option on the LawnMowerClass.com website, or you can request one via their toll-free number: 877-773-8196. A bit inconvenient? Yes. Seemingly archaic? Yes. But at least you'll have the knowledge that you've filled out the form (make a copy!) and sent it to the administrator–and, you have until August to do so–so there's plenty of time for snail mail.

Hi Hi, To clarify, if you'd like to exclude yourself, you simply have to mail in a little note with your name, address, reason, and signature. It's the cost of a postage stamp. It's if you choose to object to the settlement that you may incur some cost–as to object, you'll most likely want to get some legal representation and show up at the settlement approval court hearing to present your objection…

Hi J Packard, There is no guarantee if you submit an objection that the settlement itself or the attorneys' fees will be reduced. Keep in mind also, that to object, you can just object based on philosophical bent–you have to have a sound, fact-based rationale for objecting if you plan on being taken seriously. That's why it's often a good idea to have legal representation to object to a settlement–at least if you plan on your objection having an impact. For example, with the lawn mower lawsuit, stating you object because you feel the lawsuit is frivolous and that many lawn mower owners are happy with how their mowers perform so there should not be a lawsuit completely misses the grounds of the lawsuit. You have to object based on what the lawsuit is about, and the laws etc regarding that issue.
Having said that, on the flip side, if you don't file a claim, it has little impact in the grand scheme of things. But what happens is that the settlement amount is fixed–so if fewer claimants than expected submit claims, more money would go to each of the individuals who submitted a claim. The converse of that is true as well. It does not affect the amount of the attorneys' fees–their fees are based on the work that they did to litigate the case, not on the number of claimants submitting claims forms.

Hi Bill, Darn–you have just hit on a very important aspect of this whole thing–you're right–what the heck was George Bush doing with all that homeland security crap when he should've been looking at the impact of under-powered lawnmowers on our "homeland" of a different ilk–namely, the homeland otherwise known as our front lawns. Thank you for pointing that out and for identifying our President as the impetus for this class action. At least now he will not feel like some unsung hero.

Hi Michael, Ok, here's some of that attention you're looking for in your sign-off… But, just as a little note-to-self that you can tuck away, you may want to reconsider publicizing your desire to find a Viagra consumer fraud lawsuit–it's one of those connect the dots things where folks'll say, "hmm, Michael's looking for a Viagra fraud lawsuit… guess that means that Michael must have some ED issues, no?" Hey, just trying to have your back…

Hi Julie, I'm not sure when you requested the claim form from the claims administrator's toll-free number, but to receive a claim form, it's either via that toll-free number or the website; I believe they have been experiencing high traffic volume, so that may be playing into the delay; All I can suggest is keep trying…unfortunately LawyersAndSettlements.com is not connected, related or affiliated with the claims administrator…

Hi Richard, the link just worked when I tried it a couple of minutes ago; If you continue to have difficulty, you may want to try their toll-free number: 877-773-8196

Hi Rob, I agree with you on the hot coffee lawsuit. The difference here though, is that when you buy coffee, unless the little menu sign says "Iced Coffee" it's PRESUMED to be hot. Water gets heated up–boiled!–to make coffee. So most folks realize that care needs to be employed to take a cup of coffee from a server's (or drive-thru dude's) hands and while doing something like, uh, driving which normally requires two hands on the wheel. However, coffee's a pretty well-known beverage. Now, lawnmowers–or the guts of them–are just a tad bit less well-known. So consumers rely on those little information tent cards you see on display at places like Sears or Home Depot. They rely on the hang tags hanging off the mower handle. They rely on the big box the mower comes in. For information about the lawnmower. And consumers take that info as being true. That's the issue here. Consumer fraud and false advertising. But clearly you've already understood that, right?
So let's move on to your comment about "the benefit of so few". There's an estimated 58 million homeowners with lawns out there–totalling approximately 40 million acres. That's a lotta mowing to do. So this lawsuit feasibly affects quite a number of folks out there.
Now onto your comment about paying more for your next mower. Not to confuse or dilute the issue here that you're making, but just to remind everyone, you're most likely going to be paying more for your gas mowers soon anyway given the EPA rule for 2011 that these mowers now be given little catalytic converters. Perhaps you'd like to take that one up over at TreeHugger or send a letter off to Al Gore or the EPA itself. My point being, don't be blaming this lawsuit for price increases next year. All the lawnmower manufacturers have to do as a result of this is basically print the correct blessed horsepower on their advertising and POS materials and packaging. With the catalytic converters (and mind you, I'm all for improved emissions) Lord knows it'll require additional headcount in their sourcing departments, changes in parts shipping/receiving/warehousing, changes on the manufacturing lines, labelling changes…whatever.
But thanks for your comments Rob. Hopefully someone over at SNL (Lorne?) was reading and may have had a little lightbulb of an idea pop up for a skit