What Is A Class Action Lawsuit?

When a citizen of New Orleans suffers a personal injury from a product used nationwide, they may not have to proceed alone. If enough people are injured by the actions of a company, a claim may be made as a group against that company. This is referred to as a class action lawsuit.

Not all class action lawsuits involve physical injury; they may also involve issues such as illegal hiring practices. Examples of well-known class action lawsuits involving physical injury or wrongful death include cases against pharmaceutical companies for drugs with dangerous side effects and the recent cases against tobacco manufacturers.

These lawsuits involve individuals from different geographic regions. So, for example, you suffer a physical injury from taking a dangerous drug in New Orleans but you may end up involved in a case with injured people from around the state or even the country.

Also, class actions overcome the problem that small recoveries do not provide the incentive for any individual to bring a solo action prosecuting his or her rights. On the other hand, a client with a potentially large case monetarily might want to consult his or her attorney about pursuing an individual case instead of a class action.

Therefore, it is important to consult an experienced attorney regarding class actions.

If you join a class action lawsuit, you will usually have to sign papers forfeiting the right to sue the company as an individual. If you, and the other people involved, are awarded monetary damages, in most cases not all of the individuals are entitled to equal compensation.

Instead, those who suffered more harm will receive greater compensation than those who suffered less harm.

If you have questions about a class action lawsuit or other injury matter, please give us a call at (504) 527-8767. We’d be happy to answer your questions.