Now what?įirst, you must get in contact with a class action attorney who can help guide you through California’s complex legal system. You know your case – and you know multiple people have the same complaint as you. The same plaintiff wouldn’t, however, use a class action to sue a telecommunications company over a single unpaid disconnection fee that went to collections despite being paid. For example, a plaintiff could use a class action to sue a drug company for deceptive marketing or drug safety issues if hundreds of people were harmed by the drug. When a class action is filed against an individual, it tends to be an individual who has somehow interacted or impacted the lives of many people (such as a doctor or a business owner).Ĭonsumer class action lawsuits specifically address issues with companies and the products or services they provide. In most cases, class actions are used solely for large-scale cases seeking a high compensation rate or complex form of compensation. It is also extremely rare to see a class action against an individual, especially in the case of small claims (under $5,000). Even when a civil suit does involve multiple claimants, the cases are traditionally kept separate. Individual lawsuits, on the other hand, only very rarely involve more than a single claimant. Most class action lawsuits are led by a small group of head “plaintiffs.” The class action system allows these plaintiffs to automatically include anyone else who feels they have the same complaint against the company.Ĭlass action lawsuits are by their very definition group lawsuits comprised of multiple plaintiffs. This is often the case with, say, faulty vehicle or harmful drug cases, where the number of “plaintiffs” may actually be in the thousands. They also give the main plaintiffs the option to sue on behalf of other consumers if the size of the affected group would make it impractical to bring everyone into a courtroom. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll tell you exactly what a class action is, when you should use this option, and how you file a class action lawsuit when you believe you have a case.Ĭlass action lawsuits allow consumers to group together and provide a united front. When it comes to major issues with products and services that affect hundreds or thousands of people, the better option is generally to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of all parties.įiling a class action lawsuit in California is much more complex than filing a standard civil lawsuit. Whether the issue is fraud, deceptive marketing, product safety, or untruthful advertising, you have the right to sue for compensation if you experience loss due to a faulty product or deceptive marketing.Īlthough it is possible for you to sue a business individually, doing so can be costly, inefficient, and difficult. Companies have a responsibility to test and ensure the safety of products sold on the open market.įrom time to time, companies may fail in their duty of care or become negligent, causing serious harm or loss to their consumers. A Decision from the Court How to File a Class Action Lawsuit in CaliforniaĬustomers who purchase products have a reasonable expectation that the items they buy are safe, useful, and in good working order.
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