Result: $14.5 million settlement
Year: 2004

Foothill/DeAnza Community College District v. Northwest Pipe Company

In June 2004, the court approved the creation of a settlement fund of up to $14.5 million for property owners nationwide with Poz-Lok fire sprinkler piping that fails. Since 1990, Poz-Lok pipes and pipe fittings were sold in the U.S. as part of fire suppression systems for use in residential and commercial buildings.

After leaks in Poz-Lok pipes caused damage to its DeAnza Campus Center building, Foothill/DeAnza Community College District in California retained Lieff Cabraser to file a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers of Poz-Lok. The college district charged that Poz-Lok pipe had manufacturing and design defects that resulted in the premature corrosion and failure of the product.

Under the settlement, owners whose Poz-Lok pipes were still leaking over the next 15 years, could file a claim for compensation.