What are class action lawsuits?
Class action lawsuits are cases where numerous people have been injured by particular conduct and they are all jointly represented in seeking a remedy against the business that caused their injury or loss.
Typical types of cases for class action suits include suits under the Fair Labor Standards Act where employees have not been paid for overtime, consumer products actions where numerous individuals are damaged by a drug or product, or securities class actions, where numerous investors are injured by false or misleading investment information or fraudulent conduct by corporate officers.
A class action suit is a type of lawsuit that is filed by an Atlanta Class Action Lawyer for a group of people (referred as “class”) who share injuries or loss due to a single company, entity or organization. One example is a class action suit against a drug company on behalf of the people who suffered by their products. Participating in a class action suit has many advantages and a few disadvantages that should be discussed with our expert Atlanta Class Action Lawyers.
Types of Compensation
Compensation issued from a successful class action lawsuit normally fall into two different categories: punitive and compensatory. Punitive compensation is a form of "punishment" directed at the company or organization for their actions. These compensations can be quite large. Compensatory damages address monetary awards caused by the defendants' actions resulting in illness, injury, pain and suffering, and loss of life.
Jury Trial May Be Necessary
If the opposing parties cannot reach an out-of-court settlement, the case may go to a jury trial. Jury trials are complicated and usually involve many levels. Defendants usually seek to arrive at settlements because these are typically much lower than awards determined by a jury.
Class Action Lawsuit Reduces the Cost of Litigation
One of the main benefits of a Class Action Suit is the reduced cost. Since the effort has to be multiplied by multiple clients this results in reduced court cost and lawyer costs for both parties.