If you think there is a serious problem with a product or company that could harm other consumers, you could file a class-action lawsuit in Washington, DC. Whether your harm was physical or financial, it might be possible to start a class action lawsuit.

Problems addressed in a class-action suit

You could start a class-action lawsuit over defective products, exposure to toxic substances, consumer fraud or corporate misconduct. Your injuries don't have to be extreme. In some situations, a person may have only suffered $1,000 worth of damages because of a company's negligence or misconduct. This deters many people from filing a lawsuit because the legal fees and time spent on the case wouldn't be worth it to them. Class action lawsuits are a solution to that concern. A large number of people are essentially filing the lawsuit together in order to save individuals from paying hefty legal fees.

Representative plaintiff

There is a representative plaintiff who essentially leads the case and handles the legal process on behalf of the other victims. The representative plaintiff could be either an individual or a small group of people. If you join a class action in the early stages, you may have the opportunity to serve as a representative plaintiff. In a winning lawsuit, they often receive a larger compensation because they spent their time and money on leading the lawsuit.

Same harm

To file a class action, the other victims must have had the same or a similar negative effect as you did. Otherwise, they would need to file a separate lawsuit to seek compensation.

No individual lawsuit

If you join or start a class action, you can't file a separate individual lawsuit against the company over the same issue. This is an important factor to consider before making the choice to join a class action.

A class-action lawsuit could be the right choice for you if there are multiple victims experiencing the same damage as you. You should weigh the pros and cons of your options before choosing your course of action.