Is the Brake Settlement Wait Over for Sephia Owners?

A reduced settlement has been approved for a Kia Sephia brake lawsuit that was filed 17 years ago. Regina Little, et al., v. Kia Motors America, Inc. was originally filed in 2001. After years of leagl wrangling, a jury sided in favor of the plaintiffs in June 2008. The ruling awarded $6 million dollars to owners of the 1997-2000 Sephia as compensation for brake problems (about $750/person).

The legal wrangling, however, wasn't over. While the judge accepted the ruling, he decertified the case and forced owners to submit claims in order to be eligible for an award. A "special master" was assigned to handle those claims and determine the award amount.

A new special master was appointed and in 2015 determined only 150 Sephia owners who filed claims had proven their damages and those owners would receive about $46,000, for all of them. But Regina Little, the original plaintiff, would get nothing because the special master concluded she didn't qualify.

It took 7 years for the "special master" to accept 150 claims. The award was brought down to $46,000 (Roughly $300/person).

If it's any consolation, attorneys in the case had requested $6.5 million (!!!) in fees and costs, but the judge reduced their award to $700,000 due to the the paucity of damages it recovered.