Unless you exclude yourself, you stay in the Class as a Class Member, and that means that you can’t sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendants or other related Released Parties about the legal issues in this Action. If the Settlement is approved and becomes final and not subject to appeal, then you and all Class Members release all “Released Claims” against all “Released Parties.”
“Released Claims” means any and all claims or causes of action whether under federal statutory law, federal common law or federal regulation, or the statutes, constitutions, regulations, ordinances, common law, or any other law of any and all states or their subdivisions, that arise out of or relate in any way to the claims in the Action, and could have been brought by any Class Member, on or before the date that this Agreement is executed, but does not include the claims or causes of action of any person or entity who is not a Class Member as defined by this Agreement.
“Released Parties” means Defendants and their respective affiliates, parents, direct and indirect subsidiaries, agents, insurers (including the Professional Liability Fund), and any company or companies under common control with any of them, and each of their respective predecessors, successors, past and present officers, directors, employees, agents, servants, accountants, attorneys, advisors, shareholders, insurers, representatives, partners, vendors, issuers, and assigns.