In many cases, lawsuits involve one individual or group filing a lawsuit against another person or entity. Class action lawsuits, however, involve a collective group of individuals with similar claims bringing a lawsuit against a company. Class action lawsuits are heard in state courts and federal courts. A Westfield lawyer can review your situation to determine if a class action lawsuit is the best action in your case.

Common Class Action Lawsuits

Class action lawsuits are frequently used to resolve disputes in the following cases:

• Defective medical devices and drugs
• Product liability claims
• False or deceptive advertising
• Employment issues
• Fraudulent finance charges and bank fraud
• Securities fraud and other shareholder actions
• Environmental contamination

In Indiana, class action lawsuits may be filed if there is a certain number of plaintiffs, and if it would otherwise be impractical to resolve every individual’s claim separately. The plaintiffs must also have identical or similar claims, but they also acknowledge that a different verdict may be reached if they filed their claims individually, such as discrepancies in the total amount of compensation received.

How Does a Class Action Lawsuit Work?

First, a class-action lawsuit must be certified by a judge or given permission to proceed as a class action case. When the case is approved, the plaintiffs will be contacted by a Westfield lawyer. Individuals may be contacted by email, phone, or by traditional mail. The fact that you are contacted by a lawyer to join a class-action lawsuit does not automatically mean you are now a plaintiff in the case. Prospective plaintiffs can either join the class action lawsuit or file a claim separately on their own. Individuals who choose to remain in the class-action lawsuit are bound by the settlement or verdict that is reached, regardless of whether it favors the defendant or the plaintiffs.

If you are considering joining a class-action lawsuit, it’s critical to have skilled lawyers on your side. Contact us today.

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