INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 4, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADVERTISING MATERIAL -- Delaney & Delaney LLC, Keller Rohrback L.L.P., Zagrans Law Firm LLC, Berger & Montague, P.C. and Becker Law Firm Co., L.P.A. announce that former members of Anthem Insurance Company who received shares of stock as a result of Anthem's demutualization in 2001 face the risk that the claims asserted in a pending federal court action might not be certified for class action treatment.
The lawsuit known as Jorling v. Anthem was filed on June 26, 2009 against Anthem Inc. and Anthem Insurance, Inc. (now known as WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP)) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Plaintiff seeks to have the Court certify the case as a class action on behalf of all former Anthem members who received shares of Anthem common stock as compensation in the demutualization. The lawsuit alleges that each former mutual member in the proposed class received fewer shares of Anthem common stock than they were legally entitled to receive. A companion lawsuit, Ormond v. Anthem, was filed in 2005 on behalf of a class of the former mutual members who received cash compensation in the demutualization, and who contend that they, too, received less cash than they were legally entitled to receive in the demutualization process. That lawsuit was certified as a class action by the same Court in September 2009.
On December 23, 2010, the Honorable Tanya Walton Pratt of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued an order denying class certification "for now" on the basis that Mr. Jorling is not typical of the proposed class with respect to two of the claims alleged in the case and with respect to any person who was covered by Anthem Insurance as part of an employer-sponsored group health insurance benefit. However, the Court specifically stated that "the certification question may be revisited" if the pleadings are amended or additional parties intervene or are joined in the case.
If you received shares of Anthem common stock in connection with Anthem's 2001 demutualization, you may be eligible to serve as a class representative if you:
- Had Anthem insurance through an employer-sponsored group insurance policy; or
- Were a member of Community Mutual Insurance Company (Anthem's predecessor in Ohio) at any time from 1990 to 1995; or
- Were a member of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Connecticut, Inc. (Anthem's predecessor in Connecticut) at any time from 1990 to 1997.
If you wish to discuss the Jorling v. Anthem litigation or have any questions, please contact paralegal Jennifer Tuato'o or attorney Cari Laufenberg, at 800.776.6044 or via email at info@kellerrohrback.com. If you would like further information about the Ormond lawsuit, please visit,www.anthemcashclass.com.
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