Recently Filed Cases

Blue Cross Blue Shield and 23 Michigan Hospitals Sued For Price Fixing

Sommers Schwartz filed a class action antitrust lawsuit in federal court against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and 23 area hospitals for unlawfully fixing the prices of hospital services throughout Metro-Detroit. Blue Cross and the hospitals attempted to limit competition by agreeing to raise the prices these hospitals charge to all non-Blue Cross purchasers by amounts ranging from 10-39%. These contracts and agreements are also the subject of a recent Department of Justice investigation and lawsuit. If you are self-insured individual, corporation, municipality or health & welfare fund, please give us a call to discuss your claim.

Wiring Harness Antitrust Litigation

Sommers Schwartz field a class action antitrust price-fixing lawsuit in federal court against the manufacturers of most automotive wiring harnesses and related components. The illegal agreements and multi-manufacturer, international conspiracy came to light earlier this year after the U.S. Department of Justice issued criminal indictments and more than $200 million in fines. If you or your company purchased automotive wiring harnesses or related components directly from a manufacturer, please give us a call to discuss your claim.

Class Action Lawsuit: Yellow pages.com

Class action lawsuit filed against Yellowpages.com on behalf of small businesses who were victims of alleged fraudulent marketing practices. Yellowpages.com promised website promotions and search engine enhancements which were not provided to small business owners.

Complex Business Litigation: Chinese Auto Manufacturer's Breach of Contract, Conspiracy and Intergerence with Contracts

Suit filed by Sommers Schwartz attorney Andrew Kochanowski on behalf of V Cars, LLC against Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., Yin Tongyao, Kan Lei, Chery Quantum Auto Company, Israel Corporation, and Quantum, LLC. Litigation involves several interrelated cases arising out of the collapse of a joint venture between a U.S. start-up company (V Cars) and a Chinese automobile manufacturer (Chery Automobile Co., Ltd.) for the exclusive right to import and distribute Chery-built vehicles in North America. After expending significant resources in the development of the joint venture, V Cars was replaced by Israel Corporation, an investor it brought to the deal. V Cars' causes of action include RICO claims, contract claims, breach of fiduciary duty, tortuous interference, civil conspiracy, misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition. Litigation is being prosecuted in federal court in New York as well as through an arbitration proceeding in Hong Kong. Damages sought include injuries to Plaintiff V Cars for the loss of $26 million of funds invested in V Cars by innocent investors, and in loans to V Cars by innocent investors and the lost opportunity to make $1.1 Billion in profits out of its share of the joint venture in the first five years of operation and billions of dollars in profits from sales of new vehicles and spare parts in North America.

Complex Business Litigation: Breach of Joint Venture Agreement

Suit filed by Sommers Schwartz attorney Andrew Kochanowski on behalf of Dry Clean Super Center, Inc. against Kwik Industries, Inc. and Ray Ellis alleging breach of Joint Venture Agreement (including allegations of federal servicemark infringement, dilution and unfair competition, as well as common law claims of fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty and negligence) by a joint venturer who deliberately concealed profits and impermissibly used Plaintiff's trademark beyond the scope of any implied license. Dry Clean Super Store is seeking the imposition of a constructive trust, a court-ordered accounting, declaratory and injunctive relief, attorneys' fees, and more than $7 million in compensatory damages.

Attorney Malpractice: Failure to File Maintenance Fee

Suit filed by Sommers Schwartz attorney Andrew Kochanowski on behalf of Warrior Sports, Inc., a manufacturer of sporting equipment against their former patent attorneys for failing to pay a required maintenance fee to the United States Patent and Trademark Office which caused Warrior's patent to lapse and compromised Warrior's position in litigation against a competitor involving the patent. Plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of $33 million.

Business Litigation: Automobile vendors breach of contract action

Sommers Schwartz attorney Kevin J. Stoops currently represents a Tier 1 automobile parts supplier in a multi-million dollar dispute between it and one of its former vendors. The complex business litigation, pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, involves contractual disputes arising under the UCC and focuses on a requirements contract business relationship between the Michigan based Tier 1 supplier and its Canadian based vendor.