Late last year a lawsuit was filed against FieldTurf U.S.A., alleging that FieldTurf concealed known defects in the synthetic grass athletic fields it sells across the country. The suit further alleges that even after FieldTurf knew about the defects, it sold to municipalities, schools and universities anyway. FieldTurf allegedly marketed to customers in Ohio and other states that its synthetic fields last for 10 or more years, while knowing its product would deteriorate after only a few years. As a result, the lawsuit alleges FieldTurf pocketed millions of dollars at the public’s expense.

This is a class action lawsuit, where the municipality who filed suit seeks to represent a “class” of plaintiffs who have been impacted by FieldTurf’s alleged misconduct. The plaintiff in the case is proposing a nationwide class, thus encompassing Ohio school districts impacted by possible FieldTurf misconduct. However, it will be later this year before we know for sure if the class will cover Ohio school districts.

If you have had performance issues with a FieldTurf product, you may consider monitoring this case and/or documenting those problems and reviewing them with your legal counsel.