How to Find the Best Class Action Lawyer in Alpharetta

A class action lawsuit is a type of lawsuit where a group of people is represented simultaneously by a member or members of the group. The concept of class action was born in the United States and is principally unique to the US. However, other countries around the world have recently begun to adopt the strategy of allowing consumer organizations to represent consumers in claims against defendants.

Typical lawsuits are when one party sues another party, and all attend the trial. The class action lawsuit allows one or more plaintiffs to sue the defendant on behalf of a group where not all members on the plaintiff's side have to be in attendance. Class actions typically involve at least 40 participants who have all been harmed in the same way by the same defendant. 

The value of the class action concept for the courts is not to be bogged down with hundreds of individual cases when the legal claim is the same for all of the plaintiffs. The advantage to the plaintiffs is that even if their harm was less grave than others, they don't have to go through the costly litigation process to recoup a small amount of money. Furthermore, plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit don't have to worry that all the funds will be depleted by other plaintiffs who bring their case before they are able to do so. The courts are able to divide the payout equal to the harm of each plaintiff.

Class actions can also be beneficial to the defendant because the cost of litigation is condensed into one trial with one set of experts or witnesses, one set of evidence, and one outcome. The cost of litigation alone could deplete the possible awards for plaintiffs if claims were brought individually. One outcome can be helpful, particularly if the defendant will have to follow procedures outlined by the court. For example, suppose multiple lawsuits were filed in different jurisdictions with different courts. In that case, they may be left in a quandary of how to apply the varying directions on procedure coming from many separate lawsuits.

In a class action lawsuit, there is strength in numbers. Most of these types of lawsuits are against large corporations with ample resources to fight the little guy. That's why it's to the plaintiff's advantage to hire class action lawyers. Alpharetta, GA residents can band together and stand up for their rights when they've come to harm by these huge businesses. 

It only takes one person to contact a personal injury lawyer to file a class action. Frequently this person will be the lead plaintiff and will appear as the name on the legal document that launches the lawsuit. The lead plaintiff is the person filing the lawsuit. However, there may be hundreds or even thousands of people being represented. These people are known as class members. Class members may not even know they are class members until they receive a class action letter in the mail or learn about it through the media.

Once a person contacts a class action lawyer, they will evaluate the claim to determine if a class action can be filed with the courts. During this process, the attorney will try to find out how many others people have come to harm in a similar manner by the wrongdoer. They will perform research to find out if there have already been lawsuits filed with the same accusation and determine if the statute of limitations has run its course, making it impossible to file the claim. 

Furthermore, a class action lawyer will research previous rulings and opinions to find out if the odds were favorable for positive verdicts in similar claims. They will check to see if the defendant is protected from liability by bankruptcy filings before moving forward and decide if the client inquiring about the class action lawsuit would be better served by an individual lawsuit. All of these steps are necessary because the courts frown on frivolous lawsuits. 

Through this research, the class action lawyer will determine if the class action can be filed. This will come in the form of a complaint, and the attorney will share the facts of the case and damages the lawsuit is seeking. At this time, the complaint will describe the proposed class of persons who may be included in the lawsuit. The class can be composed of people within a certain state or may include the entirety of the US depending on the circumstances.

Next, the judge presiding over the case will determine if the lawsuit qualifies for class action status. This step is known as the class certification. A class action does not become official until all the requirements are satisfied. The judge will look at how many people have been harmed by the company's wrongdoings and evaluate whether all members of the class share the same factual and legal issues and have the same injury by the company. 

The lead plaintiff should have the claims or injuries common to all the potential class members. If this is true, then the plaintiff will satisfy the requirement that they represent the best interests of the class and themselves. Suppose the plaintiff was harmed to a severe degree and others were not. In that case, the judge may recommend they file an individual lawsuit instead.

And finally, the judge will determine if the plaintiff's legal representation has sufficient experience to handle a class action lawsuit and all the complex litigation that is to come. That is why it is crucial that the best class action lawyers represent you.

Class actions have emerged in a wide variety of causes and with many different allegations of harm. However, there are some that are more common than others. Here are a few examples:

• Claims of price-fixing
• Unfair wage claims
• Product liability claims
• Securities fraud
• Claims of environmental contamination

Some of the more famous class actions Morgan & Morgan class action lawyers have been involved with are: 

• $9.5 million class action against Walmart
• $300 million settlement to resolve Benicar lawsuits
• Opioid lawsuit settlements, some for hundreds of millions of dollars
• Lipitor settlement for causing type 2 diabetes
• Data breach lawsuits
• Talcum powder lawsuit
• Pennsylvania child sex abuse lawsuit, involving The Catholic Church, Jehova's Witnesses, and Boy Scouts of America
• 3M combat earplugs lawsuit
• Juul vaporizer lawsuit
• Uber lawsuit
• Takata airbags lawsuit
• Volkswagen lawsuit
• Breast implant cancer lawsuit
• Cobra lawsuit
• Whistleblower lawsuit
• Columbia Gas settlement

Once a settlement has been arranged, the judge reviews the settlement to determine if the amount is fair and then divides the settlement among the class members. The lead plaintiff receives compensation first, and the rest is dispersed equitably to the remaining members. 

Plaintiffs are usually paid by a lump sum settlement or a structured settlement. The amount you could receive depends on how many lead plaintiffs were involved, the number of injured plaintiffs, and the sum of all class members. Class members that do not have evidence of their injuries, such as a receipt for a defective product, may receive only a very small payout.

Class actions inherently make things easier by streamlining the legal process. Class action lawyers work on a contingency fee basis meaning the plaintiffs have no out-of-pocket expenses. Instead, the attorneys are paid only when a favorable verdict or settlement is reached. Furthermore, the stress of handling a lawsuit is only on the shoulders of the attorneys and the lead plaintiffs. Class members can await a judgment without having to be involved with the legal process.

A class action lawsuit provides members who have received minor injuries a way to receive some sort of compensation when an individual lawsuit wouldn't make financial sense. It provides a large group of people an avenue to hold the negligent party accountable for their actions.

Morgan & Morgan Law Firm is home to some of this country’s best class action lawyers. Alpharetta, GA residents who are seeking a class action lawsuit can be assured of competent, compassionate representation in arguably one of the most challenging and complex legal cases in the industry. 

Since 1987, Morgan & Morgan Law Firm has grown to be one of the largest law firms in the US. 
The advantage to our clients is that we have over 1,000 trial-ready lawyers and vast resources to use to help bolster your claim. Our staff consists of expert lawyers, investigators, and legal support staff with advanced technology to support you. Going up against the big companies and sticking up for the little guy is our claim to fame. In fact, our motto is "For the people," and we believe in that strongly. 

You should be able to be compensated for the damages you've suffered through the negligence of another party, and that's why we're here for you. If you're unsure if you have a claim that would call for a class action lawsuit and want to discuss the details, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today for a free, confidential case evaluation.