{"id":382,"date":"2020-06-12T20:32:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-12T20:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/?page_id=382"},"modified":"2020-06-13T18:27:22","modified_gmt":"2020-06-13T18:27:22","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/?page_id=382","title":{"rendered":"Class Action Basics: Start Here"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"tabs-shortcode tabs-wrapper container-wrapper tabs-horizontal flex-tabs is-flex-tabs-shortcodes\"><\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<ul class=\"tabs\"><\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#tab-content-1\"><\/span><strong style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>I. Class Action Basics<\/strong><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t<\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#tab-content-2\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><strong style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">II. Why Start a Class Action?<\/strong><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t<\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#tab-content-3\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><strong style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">III. Do Class Actions Really Help the &#8220;Little Guy&#8221;?<\/strong><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t<\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#tab-content-4\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><strong style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">IV. Famous Class Action Lawsuits<\/strong><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t<\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/span><br style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; float: none; display: inline !important;\">\n\t\t<div class=\"tab-content\" id=\"tab-content-1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"tab-content-wrap\"><\/span>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">I. Three Reasons Why Class Action Lawsuits Work<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">The purpose of a class action lawsuit is to provide compensation to a large number of people who suffered similar harm \u2013 either financial or physical \u2013 as a result of an illegal or wrongful act..Class actions help the public pursue justice by:<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><strong>Deterring Corporate Wrongdoing<\/strong>\nBecause large companies know their customers can band together and file a class action, these lawsuits serve to deter corporate wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><strong>Increasing legal efficiency<\/strong>\nClass actions increase the efficiency of the legal process by replacing multiple lawsuits with a single case.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><strong>Providing Financial Incentive for Lawyers to Sue Big Companies<\/strong>\nLarge corporations have the financial resources to hire small armies of expensive, Ivy League-educated lawyers to defend them. A person who purchased a defective product, on the other hand, probably does not have such resources at his or her disposal. \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<div class=\"tab-content\" id=\"tab-content-2\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"tab-content-wrap\">\n\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">II. Should You Start or Join a Class Action Suit?<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\n\t\t<div class=\"tie-padding  has-padding-left has-padding-right\" style=\"padding-left:5%; padding-right:5%; padding-top:0; padding-bottom:0;\">\n\n\t\t\t<p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Filing a lawsuit can be a costly endeavor, especially when taking legal action against a large corporation or big business. The expense of litigation could make it impossible for the average person to get justice. However, class actions make it possible for many people to come together to make a claim against a company that has caused them all harm. Lawyers finance the costs of the class actions, giving everyone who has been victimized by a big company a real chance at getting a legal remedy for their losses.<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"alignleft quote-simple \" style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">If you have a problem or complaint, a class action may be your best option.<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">A class action is brought on behalf of a group of people who are &#8220;similarly situated,&#8221; which means they all suffered harm from the same cause and they all experienced similar damages. A small group of the affected people will serve as named plaintiffs, or lead plaintiffs, in every class action. This group of people will represent the interests of the whole group during the class action litigation. If you have a case and you believe a class action may be the best remedy, please contact us. We also have lists of ongoing class actions you may join on both our News and Investigations pages.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Small Damages to Large Groups<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">A person who suffers a small amount of monetary damages is not going to file a lawsuit because the cost of the lawsuit exceeds the damages. If someone loses $10, it does not make sense for that person to file an individual lawsuit. If there are 100,000 people who have all lost $10, however, then the total amount of damages suffered by this group is $1 million. Class actions allow everyone who has suffered these small losses to come together to file one big lawsuit. This lets companies know they can&#8217;t just get away with ripping people off for low amounts of money that are too small to sue over.[\/padding]\n\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Why Class Actions Exist<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Laws on class actions were created to make sure large corporations could not unfairly cause thousands of people to suffer small amounts of financial damages. When companies know that they may be sued even for nickel and dime charges because big groups of customers can all join together, companies are less likely to get away with wrongdoing. Class action lawyers help to keep these big companies honest.<\/p>\n\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Finding a Class Action Attorney<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Class actions are complex cases and there are few law firms specializing in this type of litigation. Consumers who have been harmed by big companies need to find the right legal representation to handle their case. The process is just like finding the best physician to perform surgery. You wouldn&#8217;t go to a doctor without experience in the field, and you should not hire a lawyer who does not have a background in class action cases. Most class action lawsuits also cost a lot of money, so it is important to find a law firm with sufficient resources to last throughout the fight for justice. At TheClassActionNews.com, we bring plaintiffs and attorneys together, making it possible to find the right lawyer to handle each case.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">[\/padding] \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<div class=\"tab-content\" id=\"tab-content-3\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"tab-content-wrap\">\n\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">III. The Power of Many<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\n\t\t<div class=\"tie-padding  has-padding-left has-padding-right\" style=\"padding-left:5%; padding-right:5%; padding-top:0; padding-bottom:0;\">\n\n\t\t\t<p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">In a class action lawsuit, one person or a small group of people sue on behalf of a larger group of people who have all suffered the same injury.\u00a0These injuries can be physical or financial, ranging from concussions to money lost on products that were defective or falsely advertised.<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"alignleft quote-simple \" style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">The tobacco companies settled for $206 billion, paid out over 25 years &#8211; ends in 2023<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">When someone is injured, either financially or physically, he or she may be able to sue the person or company responsible for causing the injury. If this person has only suffered a relatively minor loss (anywhere between 10 and several thousand dollars), it may not be financially viable for him or her to file an individual lawsuit. In other words, the potential award the person could receive does not outweigh the expected cost of litigation.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\n\t\t<div class=\"tie-padding  has-padding-left has-padding-right\" style=\"padding-left:5%; padding-right:5%; padding-top:0; padding-bottom:0;\">\n\n\t\t\t<p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Class action lawsuits provide legal relief to large numbers of individuals who were wronged by a corporation and only suffered relatively small monetary losses. Class action lawsuits are typically filed by one person or a small group of people on behalf of all those who were harmed in the same way (&#8220;class members&#8221;). This means that while the class members are not the ones filing the lawsuit, they will be able to receive a part of any settlement or court award that results from the case.<\/p>\n\n<h3 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">What is the Purpose of a Class Action Lawsuit?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">The purpose of a class action lawsuit is to provide compensation to a large number of people who suffered similar harm \u2013 either financial or physical \u2013 as a result of an illegal or wrongful act..<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Class actions help the public pursue justice by:\n<strong>\nDeterring Corporate Wrongdoing<\/strong>\nBecause large companies know their customers can band together and file a class action, these lawsuits serve to deter corporate wrongdoing.\n<strong>\nIncreasing legal efficiency<\/strong>\nClass actions increase the efficiency of the legal process by replacing multiple lawsuits with a single case.\n<strong>\nProviding Financial Incentive for Lawyers to Sue Big Companies\n<\/strong>Large corporations have the financial resources to hire small armies of expensive, Ivy League-educated lawyers to defend them. A person who purchased a defective product, on the other hand, probably does not have such resources at his or her disposal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t<div class=\"tab-content\" id=\"tab-content-4\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"tab-content-wrap\">\n\n<h5 style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">IV. Famous Class Action Examples<\/h5>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\n\t\t<div class=\"tie-padding  has-padding-left has-padding-right\" style=\"padding-left:5%; padding-right:5%; padding-top:0; padding-bottom:0;\">\n\n\t\t\t<p>\n\n<ol style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\n \t<li><strong>Master Tobacco Settlement<\/strong><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; Settled in 1998, Amount: $206 billion over 25 years<\/li>\n \t<li><strong>Walmart<\/strong><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; Sexual discrimination case filed in 2000 (pending), Seeking $11 billion<\/li>\n \t<li><strong>Enron<\/strong><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; Filed under both federal and state securities laws. Settled in 2006. Amount: $7.2 billion<\/li>\n \t<li><strong>Exxon Mobil<\/strong><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; Exxon Valdez oil spill. Judgement 2001: $5 billion, later reduced to $500 million<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-382","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=382"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":398,"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/382\/revisions\/398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usclassactions.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}