. the settlement agreement provided for a full release of all claims against pca as a result of the class action lawsuits and was approved by the court in an opinion issued on april 21 , 2004 . approximately 160 plaintiffs opted out of the class and together filed about ten direct action complaints in various federal courts across the country . all of the opt-out complaints make allegations against the defendants , including pca , substantially similar to those made in the class actions