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A Court authorized the Notice because Settlement Class Members have a right to know about the proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit and the options available to the Settlement Class Members before the Court decides whether to grant final approval of the Settlement. The Notice explains the pending case, legal rights, what benefits are available, and who can receive them.
The lawsuit is captioned Cottrell, et al., v. SPS Technologies, LLC, No. 2026-14052 and it is pending in the Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The individuals and entities that filed this lawsuit are called the “Plaintiffs” and the company they sued in this lawsuit, SPS Technologies, LLC, is called "SPS."
Beginning on February 17, 2025, a fire occurred at the former SPS Facility located at 301 Highland Avenue, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19406, which continued until it was extinguished on or about February 22, 2025 (the “Fire”), allegedly causing impacts to the Plaintiffs and other persons and businesses in the surrounding community. Abington Township issued a shelter-in-place recommendation on the evening of February 17, 2025, recommending that residents within a one-mile radius of the SPS Facility remain indoors and that businesses remain closed, and a voluntary evacuation order on February 18, 2025, advising certain residents immediately downwind of the Fire that they may wish to temporarily evacuate. Both Precautionary Measures ("Precautionary Measures") were lifted on February 19, 2025.
Between late February and March 2025, six separate class action complaints were filed alleging that individuals and businesses were impacted, injured, or damaged by the Fire. Those complaints named SPS and, in two cases, SPS’s parent company, Precision Castparts Corp. (“PCC”). As part of the Settlement, Plaintiffs have filed a single, consolidated class action complaint in state court against SPS. The Settlement resolves the claims against both SPS and PCC and also releases certain related parties, as further described in the Settlement Agreement (the “Released Parties”). SPS, PCC, and the other Released Parties deny all allegations of liability and wrongdoing.
In a class action, one or more individuals sue on behalf of other people with similar claims. These individuals who sue are known as “Class Representatives.” Together, the people included in the class action are called a “Settlement Class” or “Settlement Class Members.” One court resolves the lawsuit for all Settlement Class Members, except for those who exclude themselves (sometimes called, “opting out”) from the Settlement. In this Settlement, the Class Representatives are Aracelis Cottrell, Hayley Doyle, Kimberly and Mark Druckenmiller, Nikenye Greene, Lian Lenihan, Colleen McKelvey, John Regan and Tom Regan, Hillside Auto Service Incorporated, and Summit Group LLC d/b/a The Lightbridge Academy of Glenside, PA.
The Court did not decide in favor of either side. SPS and PCC deny all claims and maintain that they are not responsible for the fire and have not violated any laws. The Plaintiffs, SPS and PCC agreed to a Settlement to avoid the costs and risks of a trial. Under the Settlement, eligible Settlement Class Members may receive payments. The Plaintiffs and their attorneys, who also represent Settlement Class Members as “Class Counsel,” believe that the Settlement is fair, reasonable and in the best interests of all Settlement Class Members.
The “Settlement Class Area” is the area of Abington Township that was subject to the Precautionary Measures as a result of the Fire. The “Precautionary Measures” were:
The shelter-in-place recommendation issued by Abington Township on the evening of February 17, 2025, and lifted on February 19, 2025, recommending that residents within a one-mile radius of the SPS Facility remain indoors and that businesses remain closed due to smoke and particulate matter filtering through the area; and
The voluntary evacuation order issued by Abington Township on February 18, 2025, recommending that certain residents immediately downwind of the Fire temporarily evacuate. This order was also lifted on February 19, 2025.
The Settlement Class Area includes the Adjacent Area, bounded by Kenmore Avenue, Highland Avenue, Jenkintown Road and Stewart Road, and the Voluntary Evacuation Zone. View the Settlement Class Area Map (Figure 1) for the Settlement Class Area, Adjacent Area, and Voluntary Evacuation Zone.
Under the proposed Settlement, there are two Settlement Classes:
Business Operator Settlement Class which includes all business entities, including individuals and partnerships doing business under a registered business name, that, as of February 17, 2025, operated a physical place of business within the Settlement Class Area.
Property Owner, Resident, and Employment Settlement Class which includes all individuals or entities who, as of February 17, 2025, owned real property, resided, or were employed at a physical place of business within the Settlement Class Area.
Yes. Excluded from the Settlement Class are: (1) the judges presiding over the Litigation, and members of their immediate families; (2) SPS and PCC, and their respective subsidiaries, parent companies, successors, predecessors, and any entity in which they have a controlling interest; (3) any person who submits a valid request for exclusion by the Opt-Out Date; (4) Plaintiffs' Class Counsel and Counsel for SPS and PCC; and (5) the legal representatives, successors, and assigns of such excluded persons.
If approved by the Court, SPS will cause to be established a Gross Settlement Fund of $5,000,000 to pay all valid Claims submitted by eligible Settlement Class Members, together with the Court-approved attorneys’ fees and costs for Class Counsel, service award payments to the Class Representatives, and Settlement Administration Costs.
The Settlement will provide cash payments to eligible Settlement Class Members who submit a valid and timely Claim.
Settlement Class Members may submit a Claim Form seeking payment under one (1) of the following Claim types:
Business Loss Claim: Up to $5,000 in documented lost profits and out-of-pocket losses reasonably incurred during February 18-19, 2025 (the “Closure Period”), that have not been reimbursed by insurance or any other source.
Employee Lost Wages Claim: Up to $200 in documented wages lost by an eligible hourly employee who was unable to work during the Closure Period, that have not been reimbursed by the employer or any other source and are not otherwise included in, or recovered as part of, any Business Loss Claim.
Property Damage Claim: Up to $300 in documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred on or before March 17, 2025, to repair, replace, or clean property that have not been reimbursed by insurance or any other source.
Residual Settlement Fund Claim: A pro rata cash payment of an amount yet to be determined, as it will be subject to adjustment based on the number of valid Claims received, and will be made after all other Claims are paid.
Business Operator Settlement Class Members who closed their business during February 18-19, 2025 (the "Closure Period"), may submit a Business Loss Claim for documented, unreimbursed Compensable Business Losses by completing and timely submitting the Claim Form with documentation to support the Claim.
Compensable Business Losses are lost profits and out-of-pocket expenses incurred during the Closure Period that have not been reimbursed by insurance or another source. Lost profits shall be calculated using the business’s average daily net profit, defined as gross revenues minus ordinary and necessary operating expenses, based on the business’s performance on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the preceding 24 weeks. Total lost profits shall equal the average daily net profit multiplied by the number of days the business was closed, not to exceed two days.
Business Loss Claims must include supporting documentation as follows:
Lost profits: Records sufficient to substantiate both revenues and expenses, which may include profit-and-loss statements, point-of-sale or sales transaction reports, bank statements reflecting business deposits and withdrawals, payroll records, vendor invoices, utility bills, rent or lease payment records, operating expense documentation, tax filings or internal financial statements, other business records, and other expense documentation.
Unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses: Records to substantiate the nature and amount of the expenses, such as invoices, receipts, payment records, contracts, or other expense documentation, including third-party records.
Business Class Members must also provide documentation that establishes that their business was closed, in whole or in part, during all or a portion of the Closure Period. Self-prepared documents (such as handwritten receipts or summaries created by the Settlement Class Member) are not sufficient to support reimbursement but may be considered by the Settlement Administrator to supplement or clarify other, independent documentation.
Note: If a Settlement Class Member submits a Business Loss Claim, they cannot submit a Residual Settlement Fund Claim. They also cannot submit an Employee Lost Wages Claim for themself or for someone in their household who works for their business.
The Claim Form is available here and provides detailed instructions on how to calculate lost profits and complete the Claim. The maximum amount of a Business Loss payment will be $5,000, even if their documented Compensable Business Losses exceed this amount.
A Property Owner, Resident, and Employment Settlement Class Member may submit an Employee Lost Wages Claim for up to $200 in unreimbursed, documented Compensable Lost Wages by completing and timely submitting the Claim Form. They are eligible to submit an Employee Lost Wages Claim if:
They were an hourly employee who was employed at a physical place of business located within the Settlement Class Area;
They were scheduled to perform in-person work during February 18-19, 2025, and
They were unable work due to the Fire.
To receive an Employee Lost Wages payment, they must submit documentation with their Claim Form that verifies the closure of the business during February 18-19, 2025, and that they were scheduled to work.
A Settlement Class Member must submit a completed Employer Verification Form from their employer. If their employer declines or fails to complete the Employer Verification Form after reasonable efforts, they may submit alternative documentation (e.g., employer-issued closure notices, news reports or government notices confirming closure of the business, employer communications scheduling and/or canceling scheduled work, prior pay records establishing regular hours and rate of pay, or a sworn declaration with corroborating documentation).
Note: If they submit an Employee Lost Wages Claim, they cannot submit a Residual Settlement Fund Claim or a Business Loss Claim as a Business Operator Class Member.
The Claim Form is available here and provides detailed instructions on how to complete their Claim. The maximum amount of an Employee Lost Wages payment will be $200, even if their documented Compensable Lost Wages exceed this amount.
A Property Owner, Resident, and Employment Settlement Class Member who resided or owned real property within the Settlement Class Area as of February 17, 2025, may submit a Property Damage Claim for up to $300 for documented, unreimbursed Compensable Property Damage Losses by completing and timely submitting the Claim Form.
Compensable Property Damage Losses are documented out-of-pocket losses incurred on or before March 17, 2025, to repair, replace, or clean property that have not been reimbursed by insurance or any other source.
Documentation may include repair or replacement receipts, photographs, videos, inspection reports, appraisals, and any other expense documentation. Self-prepared documents (such as handwritten receipts or summaries) are not, standing alone, sufficient to support reimbursement, but may be considered by the Settlement Administrator to supplement or clarify other, independent documentation.
Only one (1) Property Damage Claim may be submitted per Household. For real property that is leased, a Property Damage Claim may be submitted by the real property owner and the lessee, provided that their respective Claims address different Compensable Property Damage Losses and each are Settlement Class Members.
Note: If they submit a Property Damage Claim, they cannot submit a Residual Settlement Fund Claim.
The Claim Form is available here and provides detailed instructions on how to complete their Claim. The maximum amount of a Property Damage payment will be $300, even if their documented Compensable Property Damage Losses exceed this amount.
If a Settlement Class Member does not submit a Business Loss Claim, a Property Damage Claim, or an Employee Lost Wages Claim, they may submit a Claim for a pro rata (proportional) cash payment from the Residual Settlement Fund. A Settlement Class Member does not need to provide documentation of loss or damages to file a Residual Settlement Fund Claim. The amount a Settlement Class Member receives will depend on the total number and value of valid Business Loss, Property Damage, and Employee Lost Wages Claims.
Only one Residual Settlement Fund Claim may be submitted per Household or Business. Household means all people who lived together in the same dwelling unit as their primary residence immediately prior to the Fire.
If they qualify as a Settlement Class Member only because they worked within the Settlement Class Area at the time of the Fire (“Employee Only Class Members”), they are not eligible to receive a payment from the Residual Settlement Fund.
If a Settlement Class Member submitted a Business Loss, Property Damage, or Employee Lost Wages Claim that was denied only because they did not provide enough documentation, they will automatically qualify for a distribution from the Residual Settlement Fund (unless they are an Employee Only Class Member). They do not need to submit another Claim Form or additional documentation. Note: If they submit a Business Loss Claim and receive payment, they are not eligible for an additional payment from the Residual Settlement Fund. If they file an Employee Lost Wages Claim or a Property Damage Claim and receive payment, neither they nor any member of their Household is eligible to receive an additional payment from the Residual Settlement Fund.
If someone is a Settlement Class Member, unless they opt out of the Settlement Class, they cannot sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against SPS, PCC, or the other Released Parties for any of the claims resolved by the Settlement. The “Release” section in the Settlement Agreement describes the claims that they give up if they remain in the Settlement Class. The Settlement Agreement can be found here.
Eligible Settlement Class Members may submit a Claim Form seeking payment under one (1) of the following Claim types: Business Loss Claim, Employee Lost Wages Claim, Property Damage Claim, or pro rata Residual Settlement Fund Claim.
The Claim Form is available here, by calling (833) 930-0975, or by writing to the Settlement Administrator at the address below.
Claim Forms may be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 3, 2026, or mailed to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked by December 3, 2026, at:
Cottrell, et al., v. SPS Technologies, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
ATTN: Claims
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
Once the Court-approved attorneys’ fees and costs, service awards, and Settlement Administration Costs have been paid out of the Gross Settlement Fund, the remaining balance (the “Net Settlement Fund”) will be used to pay valid Claims. Payments for valid Claims will be distributed as follows: (1) payment of approved Business Loss Claims; (2) payment of approved Employee Lost Wages Claims; (3) payment of approved Property Damage Claims; and (4) payment of pro rata Residual Settlement Fund Claims to all other eligible Settlement Class Members. The amount of the Residual Settlement Fund payment may be increased or decreased based on the total amount of valid Claims filed.
In addition, individual payment amounts for valid Claims for pro rata Residual Settlement Fund payments will be based on the location of the Claimant’s residence or physical place of business. If a Settlement Class Member submits a valid Claim for a Residual Settlement Fund payment and their residence or place of business was located within the Adjacent Area or Voluntary Evacuation Zone, they will receive a weighting factor of 1.5 times for calculating their payment amount. All other Settlement Class Members with valid Residual Settlement Fund Claims will receive a weighting factor of 1.0 times for calculating their payment amount.
Settlement Class Members can view a map of the Settlement Class Area, Adjacent Area, and Voluntary Evacuation Zone here. More information on how Settlement Payments will be calculated is available in the Settlement Agreement, which is available here.
If a Settlement Class Member is eligible for a settlement payment, the payment will be made after the Final Approval Hearing. The Court is scheduled to hold a Final Approval Hearing on May 25, 2027, at 10:00 a.m. ET, to decide whether to approve the Settlement, the attorneys’ fees and costs for Class Counsel for representing the Settlement Class, and service awards for the Class Representatives.
If the Court approves the Settlement, there may be appeals. It is always uncertain whether appeals will be filed and, if so, how long it will take to resolve them. Settlement Payments will be distributed as soon as possible, if and when the Court grants final approval of the Settlement and after any appeals are resolved.
Yes, the Court appointed the following attorneys as Lead Class Counsel to represent Settlement Class Members and other members of the Settlement Class:
Gary Klinger and William J. Edelman of Milberg PLLC; and
J. Gerard Stranch IV and Andrew E. Mize of Stranch, Jennings & Garvey PLLC.
Settlement Class Members will not be charged directly for these lawyers; instead, they will receive compensation from the Gross Settlement Fund (subject to court approval).
If a Settlement Class Member wants to be represented by their own lawyer, they may hire one at their own expense.
It is not necessary for a Settlement Class Member to hire their own lawyer because Lead Class Counsel works for them. If they want to be represented by their own lawyer, they may hire one at their own expense.
Lead Class Counsel’s attorneys’ fees and costs, as well as any service awards to Class Representatives, will be paid from the Gross Settlement Fund. Class Counsel is entitled to seek no more than 35% of the Gross Settlement Fund ($1,750,000) for their reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses, subject to Court approval. Class Counsel will also seek service awards for the Class Representatives in recognition of their time and effort on behalf of the Class, in amounts up to $2,500 per Class Representative, subject to Court approval.
If a Settlement Class Member does not want to receive any benefits from the Settlement, and they want to keep their right to separately sue SPS, PCC, or the other Released Parties about the claims in this case, they must take steps to exclude themself from the Settlement Class. This is called “opting out” of the Settlement Class. The Opt-Out Date to submit a “request for exclusion” from the Settlement is November 3, 2026. To opt out of the Settlement, they must submit a written request for exclusion that includes the following information:
A statement indicating that they want to opt out of the Settlement Class, such as “I wish to be excluded from the Settlement Class in Cottrell, et al., v. SPS Technologies, LLC, No. 2026-14052”; and
Their name, address, telephone number, email address, and their handwritten signature.
Their request for exclusion must be mailed to the Settlement Administrator at the address below, postmarked no later than November 3, 2026.
Cottrell, et al. v. SPS Technologies, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
ATTN: Request for Exclusion
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
If they do not exclude themself from the Settlement by the Opt-Out Date, they will be bound by all of the Court’s decisions. Any Settlement Class Member that wishes to opt-out must submit their request to do so individually.
A Settlement Class Member can choose, but is not required, to object to the Settlement if they do not like it, or any portion of it. Through an objection, they give reasons why they think the Court should not approve the Settlement.
For an objection to be considered by the Court, it must include:
The case name and number, Cottrell, et al. v. SPS Technologies, LLC, No. 2026-14052;
Their name, address, telephone number, and email address
The name, address, telephone number, and email address of their counsel (if any);
The grounds for the objection, accompanied by any legal support for the objection known to them or their counsel;
Copies of any papers, briefs, or other documents upon which the objection is based or upon which they or their counsel intend to rely;
A statement of whether they or their counsel intend to appear at the Final Approval Hearing; and
Their handwritten signature.
Objections must be mailed to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked no later than November 3, 2026, to:
Cottrell, et al. v. SPS Technologies, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
ATTN: Objections
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
If a Settlement Class Member or their counsel intend to appear at the Final Approval Hearing, they also need to provide Lead Class Counsel and Counsel for SPS with a notice of intention to appear at the Final Approval Hearing by no later than November 3, 2026.
A Settlement Class Member who objects is telling the Court that they do not like something about the Settlement. They can object to the Settlement only if they do not exclude themself from the Settlement.
Opting out is telling the Court that they want to exclude themself from the Settlement; that is, they do not want to be part of the Settlement. If they opt out, they cannot object to the Settlement because it no longer affects them.
The Court is scheduled to hold a Final Approval Hearing on May 25, 2027, at 10:00 a.m. ET, at the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County, 2 East Airy Street, Courtroom E, Norristown, PA, to decide whether to approve the Settlement, the attorney’ fees and costs of up to $1,750,000 for Class Counsel for representing the Settlement Class and the $2,500 service awards for each of the Class Representatives who brought this lawsuit on behalf of the Settlement Class. The date and time of this hearing may change without further notice. Please check the Settlement Website from time to time for updates.
No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. A Settlement Class Member may attend at their own expense. If they file an objection, they may, but they do not have to, come to the Final Approval Hearing to talk about it. If they file their written objection on time and in accordance with the requirements above, the Court will consider it. They may also pay their own lawyer to attend, but it is not necessary for the Court to consider an objection that was filed on time and meets the requirements above. If they or their lawyer intend to appear, they must provide all Class Counsel and Counsel for SPS with a notice of intention to appear at the Final Approval Hearing as outlined in Question 20.
If a Settlement Class Member does nothing, they will give up your right to start a lawsuit, continue a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit about the claims resolved by this Settlement against SPS, PCC, and the other Released Parties, as defined in the Settlement Agreement. In addition, they will be bound by the Release in the Settlement Agreement and will not be eligible to receive a payment from this Settlement.
The Notice summarizes the proposed Settlement. Complete details are provided in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement and other related documents are available here. If a Settlement Class Member has additional questions or needs to update their address, they may contact the Settlement Administrator by phone at (833) 930-0975 or by mail at:
Cottrell, et al. v. SPS Technologies, LLC
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
This website is authorized by the Court, supervised by counsel to the parties, and controlled by the Settlement Administrator approved by the Court. This is the only authorized website for this case.
For more information, please call 833-930-0975.
This website is authorized by the Court, supervised by counsel to the parties, and controlled by the Settlement Administrator approved by the Court. This is the only authorized website for this case.
For more information, please call 833-930-0975.