Taking on a huge corporation as an individual can be daunting. Even if you firmly believe that the company is in the wrong and should be held accountable for product defects or other forms of negligence, it is understandably easy to feel outnumbered and outgunned. After all, most major businesses feature extensive, high-powered legal teams whose sole purpose it is to defend their client by whatever means possible.

This is where the idea of a class action lawsuit comes into play. A class action is a large-scale civil proceeding in which several plaintiffs collectively pursue action against a defendant for a specific issue. Common examples include employees suing employers for illegal salary practices or patients suffering undocumented side effects from a new drug. Settled either in court via trial or through mediation between the parties’ legal representatives, class actions tend to have deeper monetary and social consequences for the company in question due to their collective weight.

Usually, the members of a class action will sign a document that waives their rights to sue the company as individuals. In the event that the action is successful, each of the plaintiffs will usually receive the same amount, although this is not always the case. Monetary awards can be either compensatory, meaning they cover the cost of direct damages such as medical bills, or punitive, which aim to punish the company for blatant disregard for human health.

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To find out more about class actions and similar proceedings, contact the experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman and Bonebrake today at 312-466-8200.