Vehicle buyers sued automakers and dealer associations claiming they conspired to block cheaper Canadian imports and inflate U.S. prices. The court allowed most state antitrust and consumer protection claims to proceed, even though federal antitrust damages were blocked. This matters to subcontractors because it shows courts will allow indirect purchaser claims under state law when federal law blocks them—a strategy that could apply to construction supply chain disputes.
State antitrust laws can provide a workaround when federal antitrust damages are unavailable due to the Illinois Brick rule limiting indirect purchaser claims