Class Action Lawsuits: Seeking Justice for Mass Consumer Harm

Class Action Lawsuits: Seeking Justice for Mass Consumer Harm

Evidence that the system is rigged against individuals, or at least against individuals who are not fabulously wealthy, is everywhere. How many times have you been treated unfairly by a corporate giant, whether in your capacity as a consumer or an employee? When you contact a law firm about seeking compensation for the physical or financial harm you have suffered, you find out that it will be so much work to recover the money that you lost that most people give up at this stage. Lawsuits are time-consuming and expensive, especially when it is just one person suing a large company with an entire legal staff whose only job is to defend against lawsuits and pressure plaintiffs into accepting inadequate settlements. This is why companies get away with irresponsible behavior, from the financial exploitation of customers and workers, time and again.

What You Need to Know About Class Action Lawsuits

It is much easier to get fair compensation when large groups of plaintiffs who have suffered similar types of harm from the same defendant file a lawsuit jointly against the same defendant. The group of plaintiffs in lawsuits like this is called a class, and therefore these are known as class action lawsuits. To find out whether class action lawsuits are in progress in connection with a preventable physical or financial harm you have suffered, contact a Whittier class action lawsuit lawyer.

Product Liability and Dangerous Drug Lawsuits

Under product liability laws, consumers have the right to sue the manufacturers of commercial products that cause harm because of inherent defects in the design, manufacture, or safety testing of these products. These are some common reasons for class action lawsuits about product liability:

• Prescription drugs and medical devices that cause adverse reactions, especially when the labels and indications for these products do not contain adequate safety warnings
• Consumer products such as furniture, toys, and personal care items that cause injury when used for their intended purpose
• Manufacturing defects in motor vehicles

Class Action Lawsuits and Corporate Data Breaches

It is a nightmare when the credit card company cancels your card because someone used it for a fraudulent purpose. Imagine if the same fraudsters stole credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or other financial or identity information from hundreds or thousands of consumers, and not because of any lack of caution on the part of the consumers. This scenario often happens because of data breaches at businesses. The computer networks of companies store the financial information of all of their customers who keep credit cards on file for recurring purchases and employees who receive their paychecks through direct deposit. The breach can result when a fraudster guesses an employee’s password or accesses the company’s computer network by breaking through a firewall.

Corporate data breaches are preventable. Even the most basic cybersecurity strategy can prevent most of them. Companies can protect consumers’ data by requiring secure passwords and two-factor authentication for employee logins and updating the business software regularly to ensure that software patches are up to date. Consumers who got their data stolen, because a company suffered a preventable data breach due to insufficient cybersecurity, have the right to file class action lawsuits.

Class Action Lawsuits by Employees for Employment Law Violations

Class action lawsuits are not just for consumers. Employees of large companies where labor law violations are widespread can also file lawsuits against their employers using the class action structure for the lawsuit. These are some reasons why employees file class action lawsuits related to employment laws:

• Miscategorizing workers as independent contractors instead of employees in order to avoid paying for health insurance and other benefits and to reduce the employer’s tax burden
• Not paying overtime wages when workers have earned them
• Widespread discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or other protected characteristics
• Safety violations in the workplace
• Pressuring employees to sin non-compete agreements that limit their opportunities for future employment if they quit their current job

If your complaint against your employer relates specifically to one supervisor at your workplace who has been bullying you or who retaliated against you for engaging in a protected activity, it is best to file an employment lawsuit on an individual basis. If multiple employees across various branches of the company have suffered the same mistreatment, a class action lawsuit is more appropriate.

Contact the Law Offices of Omar Gastelum About Class Action Lawsuits

A class action lawsuit attorney can help you if you and any other people suffer injury or financial losses because of irresponsible actions by a corporation. Contact the Law Offices of Omar Gastelum and Associates APLC in Whittier, California, to set up a consultation.

Sources

https://www.justia.com/employment/class-actions/

A Whittier class action lawsuit lawyer can help you file a class action lawsuit related to product liability, corporate data breaches, or labor law violations.