What Is a Class Action Lawsuit & What Does It Do?

Class action lawsuits are claims brought by a group of people who the same defendant has harmed. Those defendants could be companies, government organizations, people, or other entities.

Class action lawsuits allow several plaintiffs to work together against the defending entity, and they can keep the court’s caseloads down.

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Types of Class Action Lawsuits

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Class actions apply in several areas of the law, including product liability and medical class actions. Other examples of class actions include:

EMPLOYMENT

CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

REAL ESTATE CASES

PRODUCT LIABILITY

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What Are the Advantages of A Class Action Lawsuit?

If you find out you’re one of several people who have been wronged and are wondering if you should join a class action lawsuit or work to start one, you may wonder if it’s worth attempting. Members of a class action lawsuit can utilize a greater pool of resources with less effort.

Individuals seeking compensation will have to gather their own evidence and motions: in a class action, the group benefits with shared information and already-prepared documents.

The members of a class action will also be able to shoulder the financial burden of litigation together, as opposed to bringing cost alone. Once the case is settled or the lawsuit won, the plaintiffs will also benefit from a larger and equitable distribution of the award: going alone could mean a plaintiff isn’t guaranteed as much of a payout as another plaintiff.

Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit can also expect the process to take a consistent, structured amount of time, and the outcomes will be consistent for other plaintiffs.

Who or What Qualifies for a Class Action?

If you’re wondering what it takes for a class action lawsuit to happen, it’s essential to check to see if more people have experienced the same situation.

Your best option is to reach out to an experienced class action lawsuit attorney, but if you’ve found there are several people reporting something you’ve gone through yourself, whether that’s discrimination or a defective product, then you’ll have a better chance of either initiating a class action lawsuit or joining an ongoing lawsuit.

The Class Action Lawsuit Process

Before you join or initiate a class action effort, it’s essential to know the stages the process will go through.

Following Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedures, the case in question must be certified. After certification, the class will be defined. There will be an announcement to possible plaintiffs that the case is ongoing, whether through advertisements, mail, or through commercials.

Once notified, plaintiffs could opt out of the class action and bring an individual case forward. The court will select legal counsel for the class.

After the decision has been made, any awards will be distributed to class members.

Contact an Ohio Class Action Lawyer

If you believe you qualify for a class action lawsuit or have questions about joining one, contact the class action lawsuit attorneys with Erb Legal.

330-446-3606