Four California Armenian Charities to Receive $333,000 Each From a $20 Million Class Action Settlement
Four California Armenian charities will receive $333,000 each from a $20 million class action settlement between New York Life and descendants of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Ceremony date: Monday, February 28, 2005, 10:00 a.m., Pasadena, California
(PRWEB) February 24, 2005 -- Before 1915, New York Life sold life insurance
policies to thousands of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. New York Life
policyholders were among the 1.5 million Armenians massacred during the Armenian
Genocide at that time. In the ensuing chaos, many of the rightful policy heirs
were unable to obtain insurance proceeds while others were unaware that they
were entitled to benefits. During litigation, New York Life acknowledged its
records indicated an estimated 2,400 policies sold to Armenians before the
Genocide may remain unpaid. The class includes Armenians living in the United
States and abroad who are descendants and heirs of policyholders. They will
share the bulk of the settlement.
Legal and Political Significance: The
class action is the oldest resolved case in U.S. history—90 years have passed
between the original events and the settlement. It is also the first recorded
case addressing issues involving the Armenian Genocide. The United States and
Turkish governments have never officially acknowledged the Armenian Genocide
despite overwhelming evidence and eyewitness accounts. In direct contrast, a
private company (New York Life) acknowledged the tragedy and fulfilled its
obligation to the victims.
The class action was originally filed in
November 1999 in Federal District Court in Los Angeles (Martin Marootian, et al.
v. New York Life Insurance Company). Class co-counsel includes California
attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Kabateck Brown Kellner LLP, Vartkes Yeghiayan,
Yeghiayan & Associates, Mark J. Geragos, Geragos & Geragos and William
Shernoff, Shernoff, Bidart & Darras.
Deadline: Descendants have until
March 15, 2005 to make a claim for a portion of the settlement. Details are
available at www.ArmenianInsuranceSettlement.com.
What: Ceremony in
which four California Armenian charities will receive $333,000 each from a $20
million class action settlement between New York Life and descendants of the
1915 Armenian Genocide.
When: Monday, February 28, 2005, 10:00
a.m.
Where: 215 South Grand Ave.
Pasadena, CA
91105 (residence)
Directions: 134 Freeway North, exit and turn right on
Orange Grove Blvd., turn right on West Green Street; turn left on South Grand
Ave.
Who: Martin Marootian, age 89 and lead plaintiff in the class action
against New York Life, class attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Vartkes Yeghiayan,
Mark J. Geragos and William Shernoff, California Insurance Commissioner John
Garamendi, Bill Werfelman from New York Life and representatives from the
Armenian charities
The four organizations receiving $333,000 each are:
-Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese, Archbishop
Hovnan
Derderian, Burbank, California
-Western Prelacy of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Los Angeles,
California
-Armenian Educational Foundation
Glendale,
California
-Armenian Relief Society, Maro Minassian, Anahid
Meymerian
Watertown, Mass. (headquarters)
Contact:
Diane Zakian
Rumbaugh
Phone: 805-493-2877
Cell: 805-407-1888
E-mail: e-mail
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb211944.htm