Lincoln Windows Class Action Lawsuit: Claims and Warranty Limits

The Lincoln Windows class action lawsuit is Martin D. Schussel v. Lincoln Wood Products Inc., a case filed in federal court in South Carolina alleging that certain Lincoln exterior glazed windows leaked and caused wood rot. It settled in 2016 with payments of $75 to $600 per window for eligible South Carolina homeowners, and the claim deadline was February 6, 2017. A separate proposed class action was later filed in Pennsylvania in 2017 raising similar allegations.¹²

What the Lawsuit Alleged

Filed in 2014 in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina (Case No. 14-cv-01788-RMG), the complaint claimed Lincoln’s exterior glazed windows had design and manufacturing defects that let water penetrate poorly sealed areas of the frame. Once inside, the water was absorbed by surrounding wood, producing rot and premature degradation around the window opening. Some homeowners, the complaint said, had already paid for partial window replacements they should not have needed.¹

The claims included negligence, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, breach of express and implied warranties, and strict products liability. Lincoln Wood Products denied the allegations but agreed to settle.¹

Who Qualified and What They Received

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel granted final approval on July 11, 2016. The class was limited to owners of Lincoln exterior glazed wood and aluminum-clad wood double-hung, glider, and Quantum double-hung windows manufactured between April 1, 1999, and January 1, 2007, plus all exterior glazed double-hung replacement sash and replacement sash kits regardless of manufacturing date. The windows had to be installed in a residential or commercial property in South Carolina.¹³

Payments ranged from $75 to $600 per window depending on the damage documented:

Deteriorated sash: $525 per window.
Deteriorated frame corner: $75 for the first window, $50 for each additional window.
Additional damage: $75 for the first window, $50 for each additional window, contingent on a qualifying sash or frame-corner claim.
Replacement kit refund: $250 per kit, with the trade-off that accepting the refund forfeited any remaining warranty on that kit. Homeowners could decline the refund and keep the warranty.

Claims required completed forms and proof of damage, and the deadline to file was February 6, 2017. The case is closed and all claims have been adjudicated, so the settlement is no longer accepting submissions.¹⁴

The Separate Pennsylvania Case

Less than a year after the South Carolina settlement closed, a new proposed class action was filed on April 6, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania: Robert and Carol Golzak, et al. v. Lincoln Wood Products Inc., Case No. 3:17-cv-00617-MEM. It made similar allegations about aluminum-clad wood frame windows but on behalf of Pennsylvania residents.²

The plaintiffs alleged the aluminum cladding was inadequately sealed, letting water reach and rot the wood core. One plaintiff, John Karnes, said Lincoln denied his warranty claim on the grounds that the warranty had been “extinguished” because the original defective windows had already been replaced, and that he then paid nearly $10,000 in late 2016 to replace the windows himself. The Golzaks reported missing aluminum pieces, condensation, and ice buildup in a home completed in February 2010. The suit sought to void warranty provisions the plaintiffs called unconscionable, to require Lincoln to revisit prior denials and establish an inspection program, and to award damages and fees.⁵ The available research does not indicate whether the Pennsylvania case was ultimately settled, certified, or dismissed.

Warranty Limits That Keep Coming Up

Even outside the courtroom, warranty terms have driven much of the frustration. Lincoln’s standard warranty covers materials and workmanship for 10 years and insulated glass seals for 20 years, but coverage is limited to the first owner-occupant and is non-transferable. It also excludes products not installed to Lincoln’s instructions, structures that fail to manage moisture, and damage from things like salt exposure or improper cleaning. Implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are disclaimed.⁶

Homeowners have reported seal failures with fogged glass, wood rot in frames and sashes, hardware pulling free of degraded wood, and water infiltration around the assembly, across double-hung, casement, and glider products.⁷ A recurring account involves rot developing under the aluminum cladding, out of sight until damage is significant. As recently as March 2025, a consumer publicly reported that Lincoln refused to replace rotting window sashes despite the windows being under warranty, saying the warranty language appeared to “absolve them of any and all responsibility from defects.”⁵

Where Things Stand Now

As of February 2026, attorneys working with ClassAction.org had completed their investigation into potential further Lincoln Windows lawsuits and listed no new active class actions, marking the page for reference only.⁷ The South Carolina settlement is closed, and the research does not reflect any new class action filings beyond the Pennsylvania case. Homeowners outside South Carolina were never covered by the 2016 settlement, and current owners who did not purchase directly from Lincoln fall outside the first owner-occupant limit in the standard warranty.⁶

1
Top Class Actions. Lincoln Window Class Action Settlement
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ClassAction.org. PA Residents Claim Lincoln Wood Products Windows Are Defective
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ClassActionRebates. Lincoln Windows
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Lucey Law Firm. Work Accomplishments
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Top Class Actions. Lincoln Wood Class Action Claims Windows Prone Wood Rot
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Lincoln Wood Products, Inc. Lincoln Window and Door Warranty
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ClassAction.org. Lincoln Windows