Understanding Of Class Action Lawsuits

Individuals who are injured by someone else's negligence are usually entitled to compensation in some form. Sometimes individuals seek compensation on their own, with or without a lawyer. Other times, they may accept settlement offers made by insurance companies. Another approach to resolving personal injury claims is by using a class action lawsuit approach.

A class action lawsuit can involve a group of individuals who are considered the "class." However, these lawsuits can also be structured in a manner that lists one individual as a class representative. The representative acts in the interest of a group of individuals who have been impacted by the negligent acts of an organization and incurred similar damages as the class representative. Sometimes, potential victims are tracked down and solicited to participate in the class-action lawsuit. They do not have to participate and may alternatively choose to seek their own private compensation from the negligent party. The following points will help you better understand class action lawsuits.  

Case Types

Class action lawsuits that involve personal injury may include bodily injury, failure to inform consumers of potential dangers, or misleading advertising that results in an injury. Many people think that major bodily injury is necessary to win a personal injury case. However, this is not true. Sometimes in a class action lawsuit, some of the victims listed do not get injured but may receive compensation because of the negligent acts of the defendant. Some individuals listed may not have received warnings about recalls or other pertinent information. Class action plaintiffs may be represented by one attorney or several attorneys from one practice.

Options

Being a part of a class action lawsuit is a decision. Individuals can choose to opt-out. They can do this and also choose not to seek their own personal compensation. If they join a class action lawsuit, it likely will not cost you anything to opt into a lawsuit involving a class of plaintiffs.

Outcomes

Award amounts can vary and often reach millions of dollars of compensation. The final judgment must be dispersed among all plaintiffs listed in the class action lawsuit. This is why it is important for individuals to decide if their cases would be better served by filing a civil suit and getting their own personal injury lawyers to represent them. Accepting the compensation from a class-action lawsuit is a legally binding act. 

A personal injury lawyer is always a good resource to use for personal injury claims. They can ensure that any settlement offers are fair and take into consideration.


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