Helping Clients Navigate The Complicated Legal System

Individuals who have suffered an injury or other harm due to negligence or recklessness can pursue a lawsuit to recover damages or have their loss rectified.

When multiple individuals have endured similar suffering in their dealings with a particular entity, they can come together to file a class action lawsuit against a single defendant. Together, they can access resources that they may not have had alone; and having multiple plaintiffs helps to address the severity of the issue.

There are a number of situations that may result in a class action lawsuit, including:

• Defective products
• Discrimination
• False advertising or consumer fraud
• Unlawful employment practices
• Privacy violations
• Corporate misconduct
• Securities fraud
• Predatory lending schemes
• An accident resulting in multiple casualties

The Philadelphia class action lawsuit lawyers at Harty Law Group are experienced representing the clients of class action lawsuits. We understand the complexity of these cases and will prepare a sound legal strategy to get the best possible outcome for all who have suffered.

Advantages Of Class Action Suits

Class action lawsuits are a vital resource in cases where there are too many plaintiffs to be represented individually. In many cases, not all the plaintiffs are able to afford their own representation; but a class action lawsuit allows them to recover damages for their suffering and ensures that all plaintiffs are treated equally.

Likewise, in cases where the damage was not significant enough for a single plaintiff to bring a case, a high number of plaintiffs may indicate a serious issue that should be remedied by the court.

How To Pursue A Class Action Lawsuit

The first step in pursuing a class action lawsuit is to have the class of plaintiffs certified by a judge.

The class must meet certain criteria:

• Inclusion in the class can be clearly defined, so it is understood who qualifies as a member
• Members’ injuries or losses must be similar
• The circumstances in which they sustained these injuries must be similar
• There are enough plaintiffs to warrant a class action lawsuit (typically more than 21)

A lead plaintiff will be selected to represent the interests of all the plaintiffs for the purposes of the trial. The representative plaintiff must have a similar claim to the rest of the class, such that a ruling on their case can rightly be applied to all of the plaintiffs in the class.

For example, if thousands of people suffered harm after taking a defective drug, the lead plaintiff would have had taken the same drug and suffered the same injuries as a result.

Establishing Who The Members Of The Class Are

Often, there are many people who might be affected by the court’s decision who have not been identified yet. They are entitled to be notified about the lawsuit, and it is up to the lead plaintiff’s attorneys to make a reasonable effort to reach out to any potential class members, typically through ads in print or digital media.

They will have the opportunity to opt in as participants or opt out; although in some cases involving a specific injury caused by a specific defendant, all class members are automatically opted in.

All members of a certified class are entitled to a share of the agreed-upon compensation. It is often beneficial for the defendant to settle a class action lawsuit out of court, and the settlement amount is split equally between the plaintiffs. If all the class members cannot be found, there may be a victims’ fund established, and anyone who can prove that they qualify can come forward to receive compensation.

Potential Risks Of Class Action Lawsuits

Class action suits help to streamline the process of recovering damages, but they also carry some risks. Individual plaintiffs forfeit their right to pursue a lawsuit on their own, so if the class action suit is not a success, they have no other recourse.

Class action lawsuits are more complex than other suits, and if the lead plaintiff does not have experienced representation, the whole group may suffer.

Discuss Your Situation Today; Call Now

The Philadelphia class action lawsuit lawyers at Harty Law Group have the knowledge and experience to successfully represent plaintiffs in all types of class action lawsuits. With offices conveniently located in the Old City District of Philadelphia and Haddonfield, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Call us today at 267-383-3899 or contact us online to discuss your case with a class action lawsuit lawyer in Philadelphia.