Panasonic LCD Television
Class Action Settlement
The following information is provided here for consumer information only.  The aforementioned settlement is no longer open to claims. 
JRB Installations/Glenn JRB Corp is not responsible for the design of past and future Panasonic LCD Television models.  Further, it is NOT RECOMMENDED that consumers perform a plasma lamp replacement.

On September 29, 2006, Panasonic agreed to replace defective lamps found in many of their LCD projection TVs.  Although Panasonic admits no wrongdoing, the company settled with The Garden City Group, Inc., a law firm in Melville, N.Y.

Consumers who owned Panasonic model numbers PT-50LC13, PT-60LC13, PT-50LCX63 and PT-60LCX63 were included in the settlement. Panasonic agreed to give those consumers:

A. An extended warranty until November 30, 2007.
B. Reimbursement of monies spent to replace failed lamps.
C. If the consumer has had three or more issues with the TV, they can get a replacement TV, or if the consumer chooses, a $1,000 rebate certificate toward the purchase of a new Panasonic TV with a retail price of $1,500.00 or more.

ConsumerAffairs.Com has received about 30 complaints from consumers whose tvs have failed, usually far before the promised 10,000 hours of lamp life. In almost every case it is the model PT-50LC13.

Alex Leon, who has serviced TVs for 27 years for Leon & Leon Service Shop in Woodbridge, Va. said it is most likely the lamp that is failing, not the TVs. If that's the case, some consumers with Panasonic TVs may be out of luck while trying to get a replacement through the settlement because the settlement only covers four TVs that have the TY-LA1000 lamps, but there are at least 13 Panasonic TVs that carry that same lamp. The other model numbers not included in the settlement are: PT-43LC14, PT-43LCX64, PT-44LCX65, PT-52LCX15B, PT-52LCX65, PT-60LC14, PT60-LCX63, PT60-LCX64 and PT61-LCX65.

Leon said consumers should not try to replace the lamp themselves because it contains dangerous chemicals including mercury. Those installation costs would be included in the Panasonic reimbursement. To be safe, consumers should avoid purchasing Panasonic TVs that carry the TY-LA1000 lamp. Will Safer, Panasonic spokesman said he didn't know if those bulbs are still being used in TVs or not.