Oregon Public Broadcasting

Subscribers to Comcast now have an opportunity to recoup some late fees from the cable company, thanks to a class-action lawsuit filed in Oregon. About 500,000 current and former customers are eligible to become part of the class.

The plaintiffs say the way Comcast charged late fees to its cable TV subscribers between 2003 and 2010 failed to comply with of Oregon law.

Final details are still being worked out, but Comcast is expected to pay $23 million to settle the case.

Angela Martin is the Director of Economic Fairness Oregon a Portland-based consumer advocacy group.  She says customers paid too much because of Comcast’s business practices.

Angela Martin: “It’s rigging the system in a way that they get little bits of money from a lot of people.  We’re all worse off for it.  But not so worse off, that we can afford to go to court and complain about it.”

Affected customers could receive up to $16 for each $6 late fee assessed.  

Martin says damages not claimed will go back to Comcast. 

According to the initial settlement agreement, attorneys for the plaintiffs are asking for an additional $5 million to cover attorney fees and expenses for the nearly 7-year case.