In the legal sense of the word, a “class” is a group of similarly situated persons whose claims against a third party (usually a corporation or other type of business entity) involve common questions of law and fact. Class Action lawsuits are thus procedural tools used by attorneys and courts to determine the rights and remedies of a group of persons. There is often a class representative or small group of representatives which act as the spokespersons for the entire class. Lawyers must first obtain court approval to have the group or class “certified” for the purposes of the litigation. If the class action is certified by the court the attorneys who represent the class must send a notice to each and every member of the class advising them of the nature of the class and their potential rights if they decide to participate in the class. Potential class members have the right to “opt out”, in other words, they have the right to exclude themselves from participation in the class. Only those members who choose to remain in the class will be bound by the outcome of that particular class action lawsuit. All class action lawsuits must now be brought in the federal court system.
Most class action lawsuits involve suits against large corporations or industries such as automobile manufacturers, drug and pharmaceutical companies, utility industries, financial institutions, etc. One benefit of participating in the class is that each individual class member will not be faced with the potential financial burdon of taking on a large business or industry in order to obtain compensation for his/her own injuries or damages. Big businesses often have endless resourses at their disposal to fend off legitimate claims which have been brought against them.
If you or a loved one has been injured or has sustained some type of economic damage or harm by a large corporate business or industry, call EDELSTEIN MARTIN & NELSON now at (215)731-9900 or CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A SIMPLE CASE FORM. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to accept your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds. Don’t delay! You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the applicable statute of limitations expires.
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The above is not legal advice. That can only come from a qualified attorney who is familiar with all the facts and circumstances of a particular, specific case and the relevant law. See Terms of Use. |