Shop-Vac Vacuums

March 2017: Both appeals were voluntarily dismissed. The parties in the Morales appeal reached an agreement, the terms of which have not been disclosed. The reasons for the dismissal of the Vullings appeal were not disclosed.

December 2016: A federal judge granted final approval of the settlement agreement. Later in December, two objectors – Vullings and Morales — filed Notices of Appeal.

May 2016: A federal judge preliminarily approved the proposed settlement. A final fairness hearing is scheduled for September 15, 2016. For more information, go to www.shopvacphpsettlement.com.

April 2016: The parties moved for preliminary approval of a settlement of this lawsuit. According to the proposed settlement terms, Shop-Vac will extend the manufacturer’s warranty on its vacuum motors. In addition, Shop-Vac will change the marketing and labeling of its vacuums to disclose that the motors do not operate at the represented peak horsepower during actual use and that the represented tank capacity is not the capacity available during actual use.

July 2014: A federal judge dismissed some of the claims in a class-action lawsuit against sellers of “Shop-Vac” wet/dry vacuums. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the advertising for the vacuum cleaner falsely represents its “peak horsepower” (horsepower is a measure of work performed by a motor) when the vacuum cleaner actually does not reach the advertised peak horsepower. In addition, the complaint alleges that the advertising for the vacuums misleadingly represents its tank capacity because the vacuums automatically shut off before they reach the stated capacity. To read the full decision and learn more about the dismissed and continuing claims, click here. (In Re: Shop-Vac Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, Case No. 12-md-02380, M.D. Penn.).

For more information about the advertising of vacuum cleaners, click here.