What Are Some Examples of Top Class Action Lawsuits?

If you can file your own civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages, why should you file or join a class action lawsuit? The most common answer is that filing a group lawsuit is frequently more practical for all parties involved, including the plaintiffs, defendant, and the judicial system. By consolidating several individual lawsuits into one class action case, the court system benefits by processing a lighter caseload. The defendant benefits because the person or business facing litigation faces it just one time. Plaintiffs benefit because a class action lawsuit spreads the cost of litigation over several class members. Attorneys working on a class action lawsuit question one set of witnesses, present one set of physical evidence, and hand over one set of legal documents.

Moreover, many individual cases do not involve enough monetary damages to justify filing an individual lawsuit. For example, a bank charges unlawful fees that average $30 per plaintiff. Filing hundreds of individual lawsuits does not make financial sense. However, when the individuals form a group by filing a class action lawsuit, the bank that charged the illegal fees can face a verdict that awards thousands of dollars to the members of the group.

Class action lawsuits cover a wide variety of categories. However, the following categories represent the most common examples of the categories litigated for class action lawsuits.

Consumer

This category of class action lawsuits filed against defendants holds businesses and nonprofit organizations accountable for committing acts that defraud consumers. Consumer class action lawsuits also include seeking monetary damages for the harm caused by a business, such as the group legal action taken against Monsanto for selling an herbicide that caused cancer. Product liability, which falls under the personal injury type of law practice, is a common type of consumer litigation that involves the filing of a class action lawsuit.

Securities

After the asset bubble burst in late 2007 and early 2008, attorneys filed a record number of securities class action lawsuits. From investor scams to whistleblower litigation, many of the largest investment banks faced group legal actions that sought monetary damages for fraud and deceit. Filing a class action lawsuit against a large investment bank typically yields more positive results than when a single plaintiff seeks compensation by filing an individual lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.

Employment

Employers that allow discrimination in the workplace against a certain class of workers face group legal actions that seek just compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Discrimination can cost a worker a job, as well as destroy the opportunity for career growth. Workers that have wage and hour legal issues can form one group to take legal action against an employer. Filing a class action lawsuit for employment issues greatly reduces the number of claims processed by the United States Department of Labor (DOL).

If the court sends you a notice informing you about a class action lawsuit, you should contact the team of highly skilled class action litigators at Morgan & Morgan. You have to decide whether you want to join the group or instead, file an individual civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages. Another option is not to get involved in any type of legal action.

If you opt in for a class action lawsuit, it means you are joining the other plaintiffs that form the class. When you decide to opt in a class action lawsuit, you cannot take individual action by filing a separate civil lawsuit. On the other hand, opting out of group legal action allows you to pursue a separate individual civil lawsuit or decide not to get involved in any form of litigation. Once you inform the court of your decision to opt out, you cannot change your mind and opt in a class action lawsuit.

The first four months of 2022 have seen a return to the busy dockets the judicial system is accustomed to processing for class action lawsuits. Three top class action lawsuits stand out among a crowded field of cases.

Allura Fiber Cement Siding Class Action Settlement

Consumers that had Allura fiber cement siding installed on their homes might qualify for a payout from the $12.5 million class action settlement. The class consists of homeowners that had Allura fiber cement siding installed that was manufactured at the White City, Oregon plant between February 1, 2014, and May 7, 2014. Eligible plaintiffs also include homeowners that had Allura fiber cement siding installed with siding produced at the Roaring River, North Carolina plant between February 1, 2014, and February 18, 2015. Consumers can find the manufacturing information for Allura fiber cement siding on the back of each board. 

The top class action lawsuit alleged Allura fiber cement siding cracks, breaks, and shrinks. Although the defendant has not admitted the fiber siding has durability issues, the company has agreed to the class action settlement. Class members that join the litigation must determine which of three types of compensation they want to select. The three compensation options consist of the quick cash option, replacement and repair, and cash option with proof of repair.

Plaid Data Privacy Class Action Settlement

Plaid, Inc. has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit by placing $58 million in the plaintiff’s compensation pool. The company settled the group legal action that alleged Plaid violated several data privacy laws. Plaintiffs represent a class of individuals who owned one or more financial accounts that Plaid accessed between January 1, 2013, and November 19, 2021. Each member of the class had to be a resident of the United States at the time of the data breach.
According to the terms of the class action settlement, financial accounts include any loan, checking, and/or savings account that Plaid accessed by using a customer’s login information. The class of plaintiffs accused Plaid of acting improperly when it acquired the financial account information.

Although the court has not determined the amount of each class member’s payment, each class member who joined the litigation receives an equal percentage of the $58 million settlement. Class members must submit their claim forms no later than April 28, 2022.

Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter Emissions Class Action Settlement

In one of the most publicized class action settlements over the past decade, Mercedes-Benz has agreed to a whopping $789 class action settlement with current and former owners and lessees of certain Mercedes-Benz and Sprinter BlueTEC vehicles. The class consists of all current and former owners that on or before September 14, 2020, owned or leased a registered vehicle. Also part of the class is any owner or lessee who after September 14, 2020, owned or leased a registered vehicle in which an approved emission modification part had not yet been installed.

Plaintiffs in the top class action lawsuit claim certain Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC vehicles came with an emission control system that discharged more nitrogen oxide than is allowed under federal environmental law. Lawyers representing the class argued that the defendant intentionally misled consumers. Mercedes-Benz has agreed to cover $726 million of the $789 million class action settlement. Current and former owners of the vehicles in question can expect to receive a check for $822.50 from the Mercedes-Benz class action settlement.

Determining whether you should start, join, or opt out of a top class action lawsuit requires the legal support of a state-licensed attorney who specializes in litigating class action lawsuits. Filing a class action lawsuit as the lead plaintiff requires plenty of legal groundwork, from the filing of the right paperwork to negotiating a settlement that avoids the costly and time-consuming litigation process. 

Working with one of the accomplished class action litigators at Morgan & Morgan ensures you contact the individual members of the class that qualify for compensation. The court hands over the document that lists the names and contact information of the eligible class members.

Schedule a free case evaluation with one of the experienced attorneys at Morgan & Morgan to determine how to proceed with a top class action lawsuit.