Understanding The Different Types of Class Actions Lawsuit
Some say there's safety in numbers. Others say there's power in numbers. No matter where the truth is, a group of plaintiffs can achieve more when there is a good case. In this situation, the legal proceedings are considered as class actions. The possibilities of success are also better because the costs are lower and the handling of the case becomes easier. Individual plaintiffs can sometimes have problems achieving what a class action can achieve very easily. This is what makes class actions so important – they can solve delicate legal issues with adequate means. Make sure you ask your class action lawyer for more information if you are unsure.
Here are some of the different types of class actions and what type of issues that they can solve:
Environment related cases
Environmental issues affect a lot of people, so class actions are ideal in these cases. Common issues can include maintaining clean water, affecting forests, waterways and other areas. These issues affect large portions of the population, making them potential plaintiffs. For instance, a group of property owners can be successful when bringing class action lawsuits that allege that the contamination of the land has decreased the value of the properties. A good class action attorney can help prepare and handle the case. These cases can help people avoid future environmental issues, teaching people how to dispose of their waste, how to take care of the environment and how to avoid future litigation. Environmental litigation is relevant for oil and chemical spills, water and land contamination or toxic chemicals released by a local factory.
Financial issues
Legal issues which are related to predatory lending tactics, breaches of security or fraud are common subjects for class action lawsuits. Often, these financial issues affect a lot of people, who can become plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit. Usually, hundreds or even thousands of people can be represented by a class action lawyer in these cases. If the class action is successful, the practices in the financial organization can be changed in order to avoid future litigation. This guarantees better service for clients and more reliability. Also, another important component of financial class action litigation is securities fraud – investments made by clients based on false information promoted by a stock broker, a brokerage firm, a corporation or an investment bank. Other terms for this legal problem are stock fraud, investment fraud or stockbroker fraud.
Employment related cases
If a single employee sues his or her employer, the case often ends in a confidential settlement, if the case is successful. While the solution may provide relief for the employee, it won't make an impact in the organization or in other companies. The systemic change can only occur if multiple employees initiate a class action lawsuit, bringing more attention to the case. In special cases, similar business will change their tactics, thus avoiding future litigation and legal issues. Common types of employment related cases that are relevant for class action lawsuits are: sexual harassment, disputes concerning overtime, wage and hour laws, discriminatory pay or hiring, off-the-clock work, misclassification of independent contractors, donning and doffing, tip pooling, discrimination based on gender, age, race or sexual orientation, hostile work environments as well as illegal matters that are against county, state or federal laws. Your class action attorney can offer legal guidance in every employment case.
Civil rights issues
Class action lawsuits are very important when deciding civil rights issues. For instance, the Brown vs. Board of Education was the class action lawsuit that ended racial segregation in public schools, after a decision by the United States Supreme Court in 1954. Other important decisions after class action lawsuits changed how certain police departments conduct their work and how sexual discrimination should be handled. Also, many major companies have changed their behavior towards people with disabilities following famous class action lawsuits.
Product defects cases
These cases are a significant part of class action litigation across the country. Product defects affect thousands of people and each case can have thousands of plaintiffs. The cases must be handled by an experienced class action attorney in order to get the best results for the clients. For instance, in 2010, a class action was filed against Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer, for the defective acceleration mechanism on some of their vehicles. The class action attracted international attention and tens of thousands of people were affected by it. If a successful settlement is reached, the class members (the clients) are all eligible for damages based on their respective injuries. Also, the defendant may be required to make changes to their products or services in order to respect the new decision. Ideally, the defendant will reevaluate their product completely in order to avoid future legal issues and litigation.
Dangerous drugs related issues
While the drug and pharmaceutical industry is heavy regulated and there are serious sanctions if there are any wrongdoings, class actions are common in case there are legal issues. This is because when a drug is dangerous, it can affect millions of people and the consequences can be very serious. A dangerous drug does not create injuries in just one person – it can destroy the lives of millions. In the past, class actions have been successful against pharmaceutical corporations and medical suppliers for various issues, including: defective contraceptives, defective drugs or defective surgical materials and tools. Class actions in this field help pharmaceutical companies develop better testing procedures, enforce safety requirements and promote safer products in the future. This is, of course, correlated with a desire to avoid future litigation and financial loss. If you consider a class action against a pharmaceutical company or medical supplier, talk to a class action lawyer and see what are your chances and possibilities.
Antitrust cases
These class action cases can by filed by a group of consumers who believe they have been forced to pay more for a product because of a violation of antitrust laws. These lawsuits will affect multiple companies which are alleged to have worked together to artificially set a price, preventing consumers to enjoy the benefits of a natural marketplace. Major antitrust class actions have been filed against airlines, bleach makers, computer manufacturers and milk and dairy companies.