Three drycleaners based in Atlanta are filing a federal lawsuit seeking class action status on behalf of more than 600 Korean-American and other drycleaners alleging that they had been defrauded by gas provider, Infinite Energy. The lawsuit alleges that the energy providers continued to charge exorbitant prices as per a three year contract they had signed with the drycleaners signed right after Hurricane Katrina.
Byung Ho Cheoun, Shiraz Kurani and Hae Sook Chung filed the lawsuit in
the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. The three drycleaners are seeking to achieve joint class action status for the lawsuit which they are filing on behalf of the Korean Cleaners' Association of Atlanta (KCAA), among others. All drycleaners in Atlanta are dependant on natural gas to run their business.
The plaintiffs allege that Infinite Energy forced them into signing long term contracts that immediately after the hurricane which had resulted in a hike in gas prices as drilling, refining and transportation activities had been disrupted. The company was still trying to bind them to their contract even after gas prices had stabilized.
David Pardue of the firm Hartman, Simons, Spielman & Wood LLP based in Atlanta, is representing the drycleaners. Pardue who normally defends class action suits took up this case as he wanted to help the community recover their losses.
Despite formal attempts by members of the association to renegotiate the contract the company continued to hold all of them to the higher rate even though several members of the KCAA refused to agree to the new rate.
The suit seeks more than $5 million in damages as well as punitive damages and a permanent injunction.
Byung Ho Cheoun, Shiraz Kurani and Hae Sook Chung filed the lawsuit in
the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. The three drycleaners are seeking to achieve joint class action status for the lawsuit which they are filing on behalf of the Korean Cleaners' Association of Atlanta (KCAA), among others. All drycleaners in Atlanta are dependant on natural gas to run their business.
The plaintiffs allege that Infinite Energy forced them into signing long term contracts that immediately after the hurricane which had resulted in a hike in gas prices as drilling, refining and transportation activities had been disrupted. The company was still trying to bind them to their contract even after gas prices had stabilized.
David Pardue of the firm Hartman, Simons, Spielman & Wood LLP based in Atlanta, is representing the drycleaners. Pardue who normally defends class action suits took up this case as he wanted to help the community recover their losses.
Despite formal attempts by members of the association to renegotiate the contract the company continued to hold all of them to the higher rate even though several members of the KCAA refused to agree to the new rate.
The suit seeks more than $5 million in damages as well as punitive damages and a permanent injunction.
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