In a class action suit, the plaintiffs alleged that the manufacturer’s windows were susceptible to certain types of leaks.
In a class action suit brought on behalf of California homeowners against a national window manufacturer, the plaintiffs alleged that the manufacturer’s windows were susceptible to certain types of leaks, which resulted in water damage to the windows and framing around the windows.
The court rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification.
Counsel for the manufacturer retained Professor Peter Reiss, an economics professor at Stanford University, Professor John Hauser, a marketing professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Cornerstone Research.
With Cornerstone Research’s assistance, Professor Reiss performed extensive statistical analysis of the manufacturer’s sales and service records to show that the actual incidence of possible window deficiencies was far below that alleged by the plaintiffs.
Professor Hauser worked with Cornerstone Research to create a representative sample of homeowners and conducted an independent customer satisfaction survey. This survey showed that homeowners were satisfied with their windows and that those few homeowners who reported problems with their windows were satisfied with the service they received under the manufacturer’s warranty program.
The court rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification.