Sharae Casey v. Doctor's Best Inc.

• This class action settlement will resolve a lawsuit against Doctor’s Best, Inc. (“Doctor’s Best”) involving dietary supplements labeled as containing Glucosamine Sulfate and offered for sale by Doctor’s Best (collectively, the “Products”).  These Products include Doctor’s Best Glucosamine Sulfate 750mg, Vegan Glucosamine Sulfate 750mg, Synergistic Glucosamine MSM, Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM, Vegan Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM, and Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM + Hyaluronic Acid.  The lawsuit claims that Doctor’s Best sells nutritional supplements containing glucosamine hydrochloride and potassium sulfate that are mislabeled as containing Glucosamine Sulfate.  The lawsuit seeks a court order to stop these practices and to refund to customers a portion of the purchase price.  Doctor’s Best denies these claims, denies that it has engaged in any wrongdoing, and contends that the Products were properly labeled in accordance with the Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytic Collaboration.  To avoid the costs and inherent uncertainty of litigation, however, Doctor’s Best has agreed to this settlement.

•  In connection with this settlement, Doctor’s Best has agreed not to represent that the Products contain Glucosamine Sulfate unless they actually contain Glucosamine Sulfate.  In addition, Doctor’s Best will provide Settlement Class Members who submit valid claims a refund of either (i) five dollars ($5.00) per Product package purchased in the United States during the Class Period without proof of purchase, up to a maximum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per Household; or (ii) an amount equal to 60% of the purchase price for each Product package purchased in the United States during the Class Period with proof of purchase, up to a maximum of twelve (12) Product packages per Household.

• The lawyers who brought the lawsuit will ask the Court for an award to be paid to them by Doctor’s Best as fees and expenses for investigating the facts, litigating the case, and negotiating the settlement.  After negotiating the benefits to Class Members and finalizing the Settlement Agreement, Plaintiff’s Counsel and Doctor’s Best separately negotiated the amount of the award of attorneys’ fees and expenses to be paid to Plaintiff’s Counsel.  Doctor’s Best acknowledges and agrees that Plaintiff’s Counsel are entitled to a fee award.  In recognition of the terms of the Settlement and the prosecution and settlement of the Action, and subject to Court approval, Doctor’s Best has agreed to pay an award of attorneys’ fees and expenses to Plaintiff’s Counsel not to exceed $475,000.00 (the “Fee and Expense Amount”).  This Fee and Expense Amount includes the fees and expenses incurred by Plaintiff’s Counsel in connection with the prosecution and settlement of the Action.    

• The lawyers who brought the lawsuit will additionally ask for an award for the plaintiff, Sharae Casey (“Plaintiff”), who initially brought this lawsuit. This will be requested as an Incentive Award, to compensate the Plaintiff for taking on the risks of pursuing this litigation and for agreeing to a broader release of claims than other Settlement Class Members.

• Your legal rights are affected whether you act or don’t act. Read this website carefully.

• This website summarizes the proposed settlement.  For the precise terms and conditions of the settlement, please see the settlement agreement available in the Documents section of this website, contact the Claim Administrator by calling 1 (833) 620-3614 or writing to Casey v. Doctor’s Best, PO Box 225391, New York, New York, 10150-5391, or contact Class Counsel at Wolf Popper LLP, 845 Third Avenue, New York NY 10022.

PLEASE DO NOT TELEPHONE THE COURT OR THE COURT CLERK’S OFFICE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS SETTLEMENT OR THE CLAIM PROCESS.

• These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in this website. 

• The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the settlement.  Payments will be made if the Court approves the settlement and after any appeals are resolved.  Please be patient.

Final Approval Hearing

On Friday, July 8, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. PT, the Court will hold a hearing to determine (1) whether the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate and should receive final approval; (2) whether the application for attorneys’ fees, costs, and/or expenses brought by the Class Counsel should be granted; and (3) whether the application for a payment to the Plaintiff who brought the lawsuit should be granted.  The hearing will be held before the Honorable Josephine L. Staton, whose courtroom is located at the United States District Court, Central District of California, 350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, Courtroom 8A, 8th Floor.  Judge Staton is currently conducting hearings through video teleconferencing on Zoom, and information for accessing hearings via Zoom can be found on Judge Staton’s webpage at https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/honorable-josephine-l-staton.  This hearing date may change, or the hearing may be set as an in-person hearing rather than a hearing through video teleconferencing, without further Notice to you.  Consult this Settlement Website, or the Court docket in this case at https://pacer.login.uscourts.gov/ (select “California Central District Court” as your court and perform a case number query using case number 8:20-cv-01325-JLS) for updated information on the hearing date and time, and consult Judge Staton’s webpage at https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/honorable-josephine-l-staton for updated information on whether Judge Staton is conducting hearings in person or through video teleconferencing. 

Important Dates