A class action lawsuit is when many people who have been injured by the same product or company join together to sue that manufacturer or company. That group of people is referred to as “the class.” Class action cases can involve defective products, such as metal hip replacements, or consumer fraud, such as the Volkswagen emissions scandal.
With class action litigation, each plaintiff retains his or her own lawsuit as part of the larger litigation effort. Each person within a large group may have suffered only limited damages, and the cost of individual lawsuits would be much greater than the value of each claim. The total damages to the class, however, could be fairly large. Class actions are useful because they:
- Act as a disincentive to the wrongdoer, who might otherwise continue dangerous or fraudulent behavior because the threat of a single lawsuit might not be as great as that of a large class;
- Make cases more manageable for the courts;
- Eliminate the risk of inconsistent decisions by the courts; and
- Secure the rights of everyone involved.
Class action lawsuits are often the only way that people – even those with serious injuries – can get justice from wealthy, powerful corporations. Such cases require knowledge of and experience in federal courts, as well as attorneys who will doggedly pursue the claim and fight for an outcome that will be fair for all class members. Wilkes & Associates has got it covered. If you have a potential class action case, call us today to find out how we can help.
