JENNIFER FORD et al. v. VETERANS GUARDIAN VA CLAIM CONSULTING, LLC.

1:23-CV-00756-CCE-LPA in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina

Important Court Documents

Date Filed/ Sent Docket Number Docket Text
12/13/2024 52 Consolidated Class Action Complaint
12/27/2024 53 Defendant's Answer to Consolidated Class Action Complaint
12/30/2025 131 Memorandum Opinion and Order Certifying Class
1/16/2026

137

Order to Submit Revised Documents
01/23/2026   TEXT ORDER issued by Chief/Senior District Judge CATHERINE C. EAGLES on 1/23/2026. The Court is reviewing the parties joint submission on class notice. Doc. 134. Once again counsel have not complied with the court order to meet and confer. Most obviously, for example, they have not agreed on the petty matter of capitalization. More substantively, the defendants proposal includes a toll free number while the plaintiffs does not, and yet the parties do not address the apparent disagreement, giving rise to the inference that they did not discuss it. Conferring does not require unwarranted concessions, but when done in good faith, as required, it results in clarification and narrowing of disputes, simplifies court filings, and allows everyone to focus on what really matters. This results in better use of court time, less expense to litigants, and other benefits. To reduce unnecessary drain on court resources and to insure compliance, the parties can expect court micromanagement going forward, such as being ordered to meet and confer in person in a particular location. Counsel and the parties are WARNED that in addition to such micromanaging, sanctions are a possibility if one or both continue to give inadequate attention to meet and confer orders. See, e.g., Krakauer v. Dish Network, LLC, 2018 WL 4356752 (M.D.N.C., 2018). No later than close of business today, each side SHALL immediately provide the case manager with Word versions of their proposed long form and postcard notices.(rw) (Entered: 01/23/2026)
2/6/2026 145 Order Denying Motion to Exclude Opinions and Testimony
2/6/2026 146 Order Denying Motion to Seal Doc 135
2/9/2026 147 Memorandum Opinion and Order Approving Notice
2/11/2026   TEXT ORDER issued by Chief/Senior District Judge CATHERINE C. EAGLES on 2/11/2026. The parties have further conferred regarding the exhibit of the plaintiffs' rating decision letters, Doc. 73-5 (placeholder), Doc. 75-5 (sealed unredacted version). The parties now agree to a redacted public version that does not necessitate a motion to seal. This narrowing provides more access for the public and conserves judicial resources. The clerk is directed to substitute Doc. 73-5 with the provided public version. The Court has not and will not consider the full version at Doc. 75-5. (km) (Entered: 02/11/2026)
3/6/2026 153 Order Denying Amended Motion to Seal
3/9/2026 154 Order Motion to Seal Doc 107
3/10/2026   Long Form Notice
3/30/2026 156 Memorandum Opinion and Order
4/3/2026 163 Order Regarding Defendant's Website
4/24/2026   TEXT ORDER issued by Chief/Senior District Judge CATHERINE C. EAGLES on 4/24/26. The plaintiffs' motion for supplemental class notice, Doc. [167], is DENIED. The defendant has renamed the blog post page at issue. The plaintiffs do not allege that the defendant directly communicated with a class member or advised or directed class members to opt out of the lawsuit. The questions from the class members about their VA benefits are unsurprising and it is not clear that any class member was misled by the defendant's inaccurate label, now changed, on its website.(rw) (Entered: 04/24/2026)
5/20/2026 175 Memorandum Opinion and Order
5/22/2026 175 Notice of Compliance
5/26/2026   TEXT ORDER issued by Chief/Senior District Judge CATHERINE C. EAGLES on 5/26/26. The Court is still thinking and working on its decision about the remaining aspects of the summary judgment motions and expects to need a few more weeks to consider and resolve the motion. Because it is possible that resolution of the motion will do away with or substantially narrow trial, and to avoid imposing unnecessary work on the parties, the deadlines in the scheduling order, Doc. 151 , are held in abeyance and the parties are excused from meeting those deadlines pending further order of the Court. (rw) (Entered: 05/26/2026)
6/10/2026 177 Order Cancelling PreTrial
6/15/2026 178 Order Granting Partial Summary Judgment
6/24/2026 179 Supplemental Brief regarding Docket 177 and Choice of Law
6/24/2026 180 Supplemental Brief regarding Docket 177 by Defendant
6/25/2026   TEXT ORDER issued by Chief/Senior District Judge CATHERINE C. EAGLES on 6/25/26. No later than June 29, 2026, the defendant may file a supplement brief limited to 500 words addressing the plaintiffs argument related to the Young case at Doc. 179 at pp. 5-11. No later than June 29, 2026, the plaintiff may file a supplemental brief limited to 300 words addressing the case law discussed by defendant in their brief at Doc. 180 at page 3. (rw) (Entered: 06/25/2026)
6/29/2026 181 Supplemental Brief regarding Order 
6/29/2026 182 Supplemental Brief regarding Order by Defendant