What Is a Class Action Lawsuit? Definition, Examples & How It Works

Imagine a classroom with a sturdy bully, who, daily, bullies different kids in his classroom. Now, if one out of the 20 kids goes to the class teacher and reports the bully, it wouldn’t effectively make a difference in the bully’s behaviour compared to the 20 kids going as a group and reporting their hurtful experiences to the teacher. Now, let us consider this scenario at a grander level.

Consider a product or a service that has been causing similar harm to a large group of people. And there is no sense of accountability shown by the company. Now, if a single person sets forth to lead a legal battle against such large organizations, it can get ugly, and in the end, it might turn futile. However, on the other hand, a hefty number of people coming together and fighting in unison for the same injustice experienced might surely achieve the desired outcome. This phenomenon of plaintiffs coming together and fighting a singular case is known as a class action lawsuit.

These class action lawsuits can be navigated with ease if they’re handed over to experienced and skilled class action law firms and mass tort attorneys. Along with the simplification of the entire legal process, these lawsuits also exacerbate the gravity of the case and give the plaintiffs a stronger representation.

Understanding Class Action Lawsuits

As discussed above, a class action lawsuit refers to a legal action taken by a group of people who have had to suffered from a similar kind of experience at the hands of a company’s negligence. The collective group of plaintiffs is known as ‘class’. For such type of cases, there are specific class action lawsuit firms working religiously to help out the plaintiffs.

Hundreds and thousands of individual legal complaints might get lost in oblivion. But when all of these individual lawsuits get consolidated into a single claim, it receives the deserved attention and representation in the legal terrain. Moreover, it helps the plaintiffs to save their time, cost, and makes use of the collective resources.

The cause of the class action lawsuit:

• Defective and harmful products
• Corporate deception and false advertising
• Environmental abuse
• Wage or employment violation
• Breaching of data privacy
• Injuries arising from medical devices or pharmaceutical products

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How Does This Work?

Now, there are certain steps that need to be followed before one takes the course of a class action lawsuit. These are the steps an experienced class action lawsuit attorney should follow: 

1.Investigation

Research survey and investigating operations carried out by class action law firms to understand the pattern of similarity shared by all the affected people.

2.Class Certification

Before the legal proceedings are carried out, it should verify through all of these pointers:

• All the plaintiffs are sharing a common ground and factual issues.
• Verifying the volume of the people who have come together to charge a claim
• The ‘class representative’ of the group speaks for the entire group.
• The class action lawsuit attorney is qualified enough to represent the whole group.

3.Notification to class members

Once the lawsuit is certified, the plaintiffs involved are notified through the medium of an email, physical mail, or public announcements. They are given the option to continue with the class action lawsuit or proceed with their individual claim.

4.Discovery and Negotiations 

Often, both parties, that is, the plaintiffs and the defendants, exchange testimonies, evidence, and documents. There are times when class action lawsuits are tackled out of court, where the defendant party agrees to a settlement and the plaintiffs receive their compensation.

5.Settlements or Trials 

When the case reaches the stage of settlement, it must be ensured that each member of the group receives a fair share of the compensation. In instances where the case does not settle, it then goes to trial.

The compensation fee also pays the class action lawsuit attorney, which is called a contingency fee.

Examples of Class Action Lawsuits

Let’s study some of the important class action lawsuits and understand how class action law firms fought on behalf of the class members.

1.AFFF Lawsuit (Firefighting Foam Cases)

The AFFF lawsuit includes numerous firefighters, military members, and airport employees exposed to harmful substances known as PFAS, frequently referred to as “forever chemicals.” Chemicals present in firefighting foam have been associated with cancer and various severe health issues.

Mass tort attorneys represent victims residing in the U.S. and deliver them compensation fees for the medical costs they have had to endure, their lost wages, and the treatment costs of consequent health effects they have suffered from.

2. Rideshare Assault Lawsuits

In the recent past, lawsuits have been filed against prominent rideshare companies, Uber and Lyft, as passengers, predominantly women, have reported assault and service negligence.

Class action firms are suing these companies for failing to do adequate background checks, ignoring safety complaints, and not taking reasonable steps to protect the passengers.

3. Depo-Provera Lawsuit

The Depo-Provera lawsuit concerns women who’ve used the long-term contraceptive shot and suffered bone loss, hormonal changes, or had breast cancer as a result.

Contentions made by the plaintiffs are that the manufacturer failed to warn of the risks associated with prolonged use. This case has caught the attention of mass tort and pharmaceutical litigation lawyers, looking to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the safety litigation gaps.

4. SSDI Backpay Lawsuits 

Some SSDI applicants face delays, over-payments, and in some cases, denials of benefits due to administrative errors. Due to systemic issues that disproportionately and unfairly affect a large number of applicants, some class action lawsuits have been filed against the government.

These lawsuits aim to secure proper and fair compensation and reform processes that cause ongoing harm to claimants with disabilities.

Conclusion

A class action lawsuit represents more than merely a joint legal procedure; it serves as a tool for accountability. It empowers people to confront corporations, organizations, or institutions that have inflicted widespread damage.

Whether it’s hazardous firefighting foam, dangerous rideshare methods, or faulty medical devices, these instances highlight that justice is more powerful when sought collectively.

If you think you’ve been impacted by corporate carelessness or dangerous products, take action now.