TDK and NHK
TDK and NHK Class Action Lawsuit: Computer Buyers 2003-2016
End users in 28 states and DC who bought laptops, desktops or hard drives in 2003-2016 may be in the TDK and NHK class action lawsuit. Follow the case.
- Possible recovery
- Up to $15
Not a settlement payment. Depends on the case outcome.
- Claim deadline
- TBD
- Proof requirement
- TBD
Eligibility
Who may qualify?
Check the covered dates, products, locations, and other official terms before you file.
- You bought one of these products between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2016: a bare internal hard drive, a portable or external hard drive, a NAS drive, a laptop or desktop computer, or an enterprise storage server or array.
- You bought the product for your own use, not to resell.
- Your product had a traditional spinning hard disk drive, not a solid-state or flash drive.
- Your product's hard drive had suspension assemblies made or sold by the defendants.
- You are not a defendant or one of their affiliates, a federal or state government entity, or someone who bought suspension assemblies directly.
- You did not send a request to be excluded from the class by August 23, 2026.
Case overview
What is the TDK and NHK case about?
Buy a desktop, laptop or external hard drive between 2003 and 2016? A chunk of what you paid could be tied up in a sprawling antitrust case over suspension assemblies, the tiny parts every traditional spinning hard disk drive needs to function.
The lawsuit claims TDK, NHK and several affiliated companies conspired to fix prices on these components, which they sold to drive makers like Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba. Those drives were then built into computers and devices sold by companies like Dell, HP and Lenovo, moving through distributors and retailers. According to the plaintiffs, the inflated costs trickled all the way down to everyday buyers.
To be clear, these are allegations only. The defendants deny wrongdoing, and no court has ruled on the merits.
Products potentially affected include bare internal hard drives, portable and external hard drives, network-attached storage (NAS) devices, laptops, desktops, and enterprise servers and storage arrays. Solid-state drives and flash drives are excluded since they don't rely on suspension assemblies.
A court has certified an End-User Class covering individuals and businesses that bought these products for their own use, not for resale, between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2016, across 28 states and the District of Columbia, including California, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina and Arizona. Direct buyers of the parts themselves, and those who purchased products for resale, are excluded from this class; a separate class covers resellers.
Plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages, interest, additional damages permitted under state law, and attorneys' fees and costs. No trial date has been set, and the case has not settled, meaning no money is currently available, and there's no guarantee of a future payout.
If you fall within the class, no action is needed to remain included. The opt-out deadline of August 23, 2026, has already passed. Staying in preserves your potential share of any future trial win or settlement, but it also means you're bound by the case's outcome and can't file a separate lawsuit over the same claims. Should money become available down the line, class members will be notified about how to file a claim.
Case details
- Company
- TDK Corporation and NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
Questions people ask
Frequently asked questions
How much could the TDK and NHK case pay?
The listed potential recovery is Up to $15. This is not a settlement payment. Any recovery depends on how the case is resolved.
Who qualifies for the TDK and NHK case?
Key eligibility criteria include: You bought one of these products between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2016: a bare internal hard drive, a portable or external hard drive, a NAS drive, a laptop or desktop computer, or an enterprise storage server or array; You bought the product for your own use, not to resell; Your product had a traditional spinning hard disk drive, not a solid-state or flash drive; Your product's hard drive had suspension assemblies made or sold by the defendants; You are not a defendant or one of their affiliates, a federal or state government entity, or someone who bought suspension assemblies directly; You did not send a request to be excluded from the class by August 23, 2026. Always confirm the details with the sources on this page.
Is the TDK and NHK case a settlement?
No. This is a lawsuit that has not been resolved, and no court has approved a settlement, so there is no settlement fund or official claim form. Be cautious of any site asking you to file or pay for it today.
Is the TDK and NHK case open?
No claim process is open, because there is no settlement. TapClaim monitors the case for updates.
