- What is a class action?
- In a class action, one person acts as a representative in a lawsuit for all of the other persons who were harmed by the defendants.
- What is the purpose of a class action?
- Class actions are powerful tools for justice in that they allow courts to address the wrongs done to many people at one time. Class cases also help the administration of justice by making it economically feasible to pursue claims that, while too small for each individual plaintiff to bring a separate lawsuit, represent a significant harm to the community when such claims are aggregated together. For example, while you might be overcharged by only a few dollars on a bill for services from a large corporation, that same overcharge could be made to thousands of people. While it would be a waste of resources to file a lawsuit to just get back your few dollars, a lawsuit that sought recovery for everyone harmed may succeed in not only righting that wrong, but also serving as a way to change how defendants do business.
- How do I know if I could serve as a class representative?
- Although the claims that may be asserted in a class action can be as varied as any other lawsuit, class cases do require that the named plaintiff must represent all of the persons who have been harmed. This means, generally, that the harm to the "representative plaintiff" must be typical of the harm to all the other class members, and that the representative plaintiff must be able to fairly and adequately represent the claims of all of the class members. Acting as a class representative is an important responsibility.
When called for by the facts of the case, Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman is committed to using the class action device to vindicate the rights of consumers. If you would like to make an inquiry about possible class actions, please contact our law firm for assistance.
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