Walden University is facing a class action lawsuit filed by a plaintiff alleging that the institution violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act by making phone calls to individuals who had requested not to be contacted.
Rajesh Verma, the lead plaintiff, filed the lawsuit against the university, while the latter denies having committed any wrongdoing. However, he opted to settle to avoid the risks and costs associated with protracted litigation.
This agreement impacts people who received calls from Walden after they had requested not to be called, specifically since July 1, 2021 for Florida residents and since June 6, 2018 for everyone else.
If you have already received a notice, you are one of the Americans eligible to receive a payment from this large class action lawsuit, so you are an affected class member.
Class Action Lawsuit: Walden University Agrees To Pay Up To $400 for Unwanted Calls
The proposed settlement includes financial compensation for those affected. Those who received calls to a Florida area code number and file an approved claim could receive up to $400.
For those with phone numbers outside of Florida, the amount would be $97.50 per approved claim. In addition, the settlement would cover the legal fees and costs of the class attorneys, as well as the costs of notifying and administering the settlement.
Legal Rights and Options for Class Members
Regardless of the action you take, your legal rights will be affected by this agreement. Here are your options:
- Submit a claim form: This is the only way to get a settlement payment. A valid and timely claim form can be mailed to Walden TCPA Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23489, Jacksonville, FL 32241-3489. If you received an email about the settlement, you can also file a claim online using the claim ID given in the email at www.waldentcpasettlement.com.
- You can also do nothing: You will not receive any payment and you will waive any right to sue Walden and other separately released parties regarding the legal claims in this case.
- Opt out of the settlement: If you request to opt out, you will not receive any payment, but you will retain any rights you may have against Walden and the other released parties regarding the legal claims in this case.
- Object the settlement: You can write to the court explaining why you think the settlement is unfair.
- Attend to a hearing: You can ask to speak in court about the fairness of the agreement.
Relevant Dates for the Settlement of Lawsuit against Walden University
The court in charge of this case has yet to decide whether to approve the settlement. Payments will be made based on valid and timely claims if the court approves the settlement and after appeals are resolved. Class members must follow the following deadlines:
- Deadline for Exclusion: September 28, 2024
- Deadline for Submitting Objections: September 28, 2024
- Deadline for Submitting Claims: September 28, 2024
- Final Approval Hearing: October 29, 2024, 9:00 a.m.
Walden University also settled with plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit over alleged deceptive advertising and “reversal of discrimination.” The for-profit, online educational institution concluded the lawsuit with the $28.5 million settlement.
The plaintiffs claimed that Walden engaged in false advertising and misrepresentations about the costs and duration of his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program, one of his many doctoral offers.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleged that the online school overstayed the time it would take students to complete the second part of the program, a final research and writing project.
This time delay forced students to continue enrolling in these courses long after the expected deadline for the completion of the degree, paying tuition all the time, while the university reviewed the final graduation papers. Walden did not admit to any wrongdoing, but agreed to compensate the plaintiffs.
The class action alleged that this strategy targeted black and female students, given that approximately 41% of the school’s doctoral student body is Black and about 77% are female, both disproportionately higher than nationwide rates, according to the suit. The college denied all the accusations against it.