General
FAQs
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What
is the Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center (CPRC)?
The Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center (CPRC) is a third party administrator.
It is a claim handling facility established as a not-for-profit
corporation approved by the court to administer the terms of COX
vs. Shell, et al. national class action Settlement.
CPRC is required to disburse benefits in strict accordance with
the Settlement Agreement reached among the parties. The primary
function of the Company is to maintain and properly administer the
approximately $1 billion fund created by the Settlement. The CPRC
handles claims and manages the Settlement Fund for and under the
continuing supervision of the Court.
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What
is the COX vs. Shell Oil et al. Settlement?
The Settlement is a national class action settlement involving certain
polybutylene plumbing systems and polybutylene yard service lines
installed between January 1, 1978 through July 31, 1995. The Settlement
provides for the disbursement of a billion dollar fund to claimants
who qualify under the terms of the Settlement Agreement.
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How
was the public notified about this program?
Several Legal Notices in the media announced the class action to
the American public. It is important to understand that "notice",
as it applies to class action litigation, does not mean notice to
each and every individual Class Member, but rather, to the community.
Since this is a national class action, the community is the entire
United States. As with many legal notices, Cox depended on national
and local media to reach members of the Class. This involved advertising
in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and even the Internet.
Additionally, there has been extensive free publicity in the form
of news articles in and public service announcements by the media.
Notices have appeared in trade journals and other periodicals such
as newsletters published by homeowner associations. In addition
to the above, there have been many media articles on polybutylene
and Cox vs. Shell Oil. This has included such TV programs
as Good Morning America and CBS This Morning. Articles
have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington
Post, and others. Reporters from many newspapers, TV stations,
and magazines, some large, some from small cities, have interviewed
CPRC personnel. The Court concluded the Cox notice program was "…one
of the most comprehensive class action campaigns ever undertaken."
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Could
you explain the Cox Settlement?
Claimants may be eligible for a replumb (replacement of the plumbing
system) or yard service line replacement at no charge and/or certain
Leak Expense reimbursement if they
- Presently
own or have previously owned a home plumbed with a polybutylene
plumbing system or a polybutylene yard service line which was
installed between January 1, 1978 through July 31, 1995 and
- Their
home has experienced a Qualifying Leak.
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What
needs to be provided to CPRC to provide adequate verification of
the Installation Date of the PB Plumbing System?
If actual original installation documentation cannot be provided,
CPRC requires a form of verification to be provided. The original
Certificate of Occupancies, Building Permits, and information from
the original water authority showing the original activation date
would be forms of documentation that can be provided to CPRC. Please
note that the above documentation will be required for each individual
building in a multi building property.
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What
will I recover under the Settlement if I am eligible?
The Settlement offers to eligible claimants the ACV (actual cash
value) for damages to tangible property from leaks, reimbursement
of out of pocket expenses from leaks, and in some cases replacement
of the PB Plumbing System or Yard Service line.
The Settlement does not cover water bills, lost time from work,
tenant related expenses, bodily injury or pain and suffering.
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What
is a Polybutylene Plumbing System as defined by the Class?
That portion of any potable water distribution system with an Installation
Date between January 1, 1978 and July 31, 1995, which is within
a structure and is composed of Polybutylene Pipe with acetal or
metal insert fittings (or any combination thereof). PB Plumbing
System does not include PB Yard Service Line.
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How
do I know if I have Polybutylene inside my house?
Examine the plumbing system anywhere there is accessible plumbing
in the home such as under kitchen and bathroom sinks, at the water
heater, in a crawlspace or attic. Please refer to the photos section
of our website for photos of polybutylene plumbing systems.
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What
is a leak and how do I know if I have one inside my house?
A leak is a verifiable failure in a component of a PB Plumbing System
that leads to unwanted discharge of water. A leak inside a home
could manifest itself by visible water damage in walls, floors or
ceilings. An increase in water usage may also indicate an unseen
leak.
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How
is a leak verified?
Adequate verification of a claimed leak will need to be provided.
Plumbing repair receipts, work orders, photographs of the leak and/or
repair and the actual failed part of the PB Plumbing System are
adequate forms of verification of a leak in the PB Plumbing system.
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I
have had a leak in my home. How do I receive recovery?
Complete a Claim Eligibility Form online or manually complete a
printed copy and mail it to CPRC
Or request a Claim Eligibility Form from the CPRC by calling 1-800-392-7591
or by writing to CPRC at PO Box 869006, Plano, TX 75086-9006. When
received by the CPRC, the form will be reviewed to determine if
the home is eligible for recovery under the Cox Settlement.
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How
long does it take to receive the Claim Eligibility Form in the mail?
The claim forms are mailed once a week on Thursday using bulk rate
postage. Allow approximately 21 days to receive the form. For
the Notice campaign: The claim forms are mailed every day using
first class postage. Allow approximately 7-10 days to receive the
form.
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The
leak(s) at my property is minor. Should the leak(s) be reported
to the CPRC?
Any plumbing leak(s) in a PB plumbing system, regardless of severity,
should be reported to the CPRC for evaluation.
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What
do I do if I have a current leak in my yard line?
Call the CPRC at 1-800-876-4698 to file a claim. The claim will
then be reviewed for qualification. In most cases the CPRC has a
contracted plumber in your area that can be sent out to replace
the yard service line. This service is typically done at no cost
to the homeowner.
If it is an extreme emergency and our office is closed, please call
a plumber and have a temporary repair made to the line until CPRC
can be reached. Save any receipts for possible reimbursement.
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We
currently have a leak(s) at our property. Will CPRC send a plumbing
company to perform the repairs to the leak(s)?
CPRC will not send a plumbing company to perform repair work. You
will need to repair the leaks and retain all pertinent verification
that such a leak was experienced in the PB Plumbing System.
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I
have already replumbed my home at my own expense. Can I still file
a claim?
Yes, you may be entitled to a full or partial reimbursement on your
out of pocket expense.
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I
have polybutylene plumbing, but I have not had any leaks, am I entitled
to anything?
No, per the terms of the Settlement, the home must incur a leak
to be eligible for recovery.
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I
have not had any leaks. Do I need to register my name and address
with the CPRC in case I do have a leak in the future?
No, it is not necessary to contact the CPRC unless the structure
has a polybutylene leak inside the structure or yard service line.
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Do
I have to currently own the property to make claim for repairs that
were made during my ownership?
As long as you are an eligible Class Member, you do not currently
have to own and/or occupy the property to claim for expenses incurred
during the ownership period.
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I'm
in the process of purchasing a house with PB, and the current owner
had a leak last year. Can
I file a claim on the previous owners leak once I own the home?
No, For a Class Member to receive relief as an Eligible Claimant,
the Qualifying Leak(s) or Qualifying Yard Service Leak(s) must occur
in the Unit during the Claimant's ownership of that Unit.
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