$23.9 Million Costa Del Mar Repair Fee Settlement: Automatic Payments, About $48 per Repair

Every box of non-prescription, non-promotional Costa sunglasses sold during the class period carried a printed promise: if the glasses were "damaged by accident, normal wear and tear, or misuse," Costa would "replace scratched lenses, frames, and other parts for a nominal fee." The lawsuit, brought by plaintiff Gerald E. Reed, IV under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA), claims Costa then charged far more than a nominal fee and did not disclose the charges before customers mailed in their sunglasses at their own expense.

Costa performed approximately 494,000 sunglass repairs during the class period, according to the court-approved notice. The plaintiff argued a nominal fee is at most $11.95 and that each class member should recover the difference between that and what they paid. Class counsel's fee motion says the average repair cost was under $75, including $9.95 in freight charges, which is why individual lawsuits made no economic sense.

Costa denies wrongdoing. It argues the box language was marketing rather than a repair promise, that its fees were in fact nominal, that out-of-state buyers should have sued under their own states' laws, and that the claims were filed too late. The court had already certified the class in 2025 but never ruled on those defenses, and the parties settled instead of going to trial.

You may also have received a notice about Smith v. Costa Del Mar, Inc., a different lawsuit. The official website says the Smith settlement was vacated and is no longer in effect. For how promises like Costa's can work as warranties, see our Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act guide.

You are a class member if all of these apply:

• You are a U.S. citizen and not a Florida resident.
• You bought non-prescription, non-promotional Costa sunglasses before January 1, 2018.
• Costa charged you a fee between April 3, 2015 and January 28, 2026 to repair or replace parts it decided were damaged by accident, normal wear and tear, or misuse.
• The repair charge was more than $11.95.

A repair that cost $11.95 or less does not qualify, and sunglasses bought on or after January 1, 2018 are outside the class even if the repair was expensive. Prescription and promotional sunglasses are also excluded, as are Costa and its affiliates and judicial staff on the case.

Florida residents are left out because they are covered by a separate state court case, Haney v. Costa Del Mar, Inc., brought by the same class counsel. According to the fee motion, trial in Haney began in January 2026 and ended in a mistrial. If you live in Florida, this settlement will not pay you.

Because payments come from Costa's own repair records, the people who got an email or postcard notice are the ones the company has on file. If you believe you qualify but got nothing, call the administrator at 1-877-269-6987. Our guide on how to know if you qualify for a settlement has more on checking class membership.

Each eligible repair earns an equal (pro rata) share of the net fund, so someone who paid for three qualifying repairs gets three shares.

Item	Amount
Settlement fund	$23,900,000
Requested attorneys' fees and expenses	$5,736,000 (24%)
Administration costs	Deducted, amount not stated
Estimated payment	About $48 per repair ticket

Class counsel's June 3, 2026 fee motion estimates that each class member will receive approximately $48 per repair ticket, with some people paid for multiple repairs. That estimate assumes the court awards the full $5,736,000 in fees and expenses. The judge can award less, which would raise payments slightly.

For perspective, the fee motion says the average repair cost was under $75, freight included. A $48 payment would return a large share of what a typical customer paid, which is unusually good for a consumer class action. Our guide on how class action money is divided explains how fees and costs come off the top.

If money is left after the first round, the fee motion says a second pro rata distribution goes to class members who took part in the first one, as long as enough remains to justify it. Anything left after that goes to the American Saltwater Guides Association, subject to court approval, as a cy pres award.

There is nothing to file to be paid. Payment is automatic, and paper check is the default if you do not pick a method and Costa's records include a mailing address. You can speed things up and avoid a lost check by electing an electronic payment.

1. Find your email or postcard notice. It contains your Unique ID and PIN.
2. Go to the official settlement website linked above and enter the Unique ID and PIN to submit a payment election.
3. Choose Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, or paper check.
4. If your address or email has changed, send the update to Reed v. Costa Del Mar, Inc. Settlement Administrator, PO Box 6790, Portland, OR 97228-6790.
5. Wait for final approval. Payments go out only after the court approves the settlement and it becomes final.

You do not need receipts; the administrator uses Costa's repair records. The website is run by the settlement administrator, Epiq. Nobody legitimate will ask for a fee to release your payment; see our list of settlement scam warning signs. We do not submit elections or claims for anyone.

Event	Date
Class period for repair fees	April 3, 2015 to January 28, 2026
Sunglasses bought before	January 1, 2018
Fee motion filed	June 3, 2026
Opt-out and objection deadline	October 26, 2026
Final approval hearing	December 14, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET
Payments	After final approval and any appeals

The final approval hearing is set for December 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr., at the George C. Young Federal Annex Courthouse in Orlando. The website warns the date can change without further notice. As of September 2026, the settlement is awaiting final approval, and no payments have been made. If the court approves it and nobody appeals, payments would likely begin in early 2027. See how to check a settlement's status for tracking tips.

Most people should do nothing except, optionally, choose a payment method. Staying in gets you paid and releases your claims against Costa over these repair fees.

To opt out, mail a signed letter with the case name, your name and address, and a statement that you want to be excluded from the settlement class in Reed v. Costa Del Mar, Inc., Case No. 6:19-cv-1751. Exclusion requests must be received by the administrator by October 26, 2026, and cannot be made by phone or email. Opting out means no payment. With repair fees averaging under $75, a solo lawsuit rarely makes sense.

To object, you must stay in the class, file a written objection with the Clerk of the U.S. District Court in Orlando by October 26, 2026, and mail copies to class counsel and Costa's counsel so they are received by the same date. Objectors still get paid if the settlement is approved. Our guide to opting out or objecting explains the difference.

Because payments are automatic, there is no claim deadline to miss. If you never got a notice but think you qualify, contact the administrator before the October 26 deadline so any record issue can be sorted out.

Costa's case is one of a growing number where a company's own warranty or repair promise becomes the basis for a class action. Under FDUTPA, a consumer can recover actual damages, and the Costa plaintiff valued each claim as the amount paid above an $11.95 nominal fee. Similar disputes over coverage and repair costs show up in the Lennox evaporator coil settlement and the Ashley Furniture protection plan lawsuit.

For this settlement, use the official settlement website linked above to confirm your payment choice. If a different company refused to honor a written warranty and your losses were large, a free case review can connect you with independent attorneys who handle warranty and consumer fraud claims.