LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – Two people are suing a furniture manufacturer over claims its brand of upholstery deceives consumers.
Juan Alvarez and Silvia Rico, individually and for all others similarly situated, filed a class-action lawsuit Dec. 22 in the Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles against Ashley Furniture Industries, Ashley Homestores and Does 1-100, alleging fraud by concealment, unjust enrichment, breach of implied warranty and violations of California consumer protection statutes.
The suit states around April 2008 Ashley began using an upholstery product in some of its furniture which it marketed as "blended-leather upholstery" under the trade name DuraBlend.
The suit states this marketing deceives consumers because "blended leather" appears to be leather, when in fact the suit claims it is not leather. Ashley allegedly further concealed the nature of DuraBlend by not disclosing the percentage of leather scraps or fibers, if any, it contains, as required by law.
The plaintiffs and others in the class seek restitution, injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, interests, attorney fees, costs and expenses. They are represented by attorneys Mike Arias and Mikael H. Stahle of Arias, Sanguinetti, Stahle & Torrijos in Los Angeles.
The defendants filed to transfer the case to federal court on Jan. 28 because there is minimal diversity of citizenship among the parties, the class exceeds 100 members, and the amount in controversy exceeds $5 million.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Western Division Case number 2:16-cv-00630-ODW-MRW