If you suffered an injury after using a dangerous drug or another type of consumer product, you may have read about other people suffering similar harm. For examples, news stories have revealed the dangers of talc powder, Zantac, Roundup weed killer, Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills, and opioids.
When a lot of people suffer the same type of harm, it may be possible to file just a single kind of lawsuit known as a “class action.”
Understanding how class action claims work can be complicated. I want to give you some basic information about these types of lawsuits. If you think you may be eligible for a class action claim, you should contact me as soon as possible to find out about your options.
Class Action Lawsuits Allow Many Injured Plaintiffs to File a Single Claim Against a Defendant
As the Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) explains, a class action lawsuit is “a procedural device that permits one or more plaintiffs to file and prosecute a lawsuit on behalf of a larger group, or class.”
This kind of lawsuit makes what would be many claims more manageable for the court system, and class actions also make it easier for people who have suffered the same type of injury to seek compensation from the negligent party or wrongdoer.
When all of these injured parties become part of a class action claim, they become known as “class members.” The party who represents all the class members is known as the “class representative.”
Class Actions All Have Required Elements
All class action lawsuits must have four required elements:
- Numerosity (enough people suffered the same injury that it is no longer practical for all of them to file individual claims or to join a single lawsuit);
- Commonality (all the potential class members have a common injury);
- Typicality (the class representative’s claims are typical of all the class members’ claims); and
- Adequacy (the class representative can adequately represent all of the class members).
Injured Parties Do Not Need to Live in the Same Place
When a lot of people sustain the same type of injury across state lines, they can still be part of a class action claim. This is one type of lawsuit that allows injured parties from a wide variety of jurisdictions to be part of the same claim if they have suffered the same injury.
In cases like those involving Zantac, for example, class actions can involve plaintiffs from within and outside Ohio who took this medication and were diagnosed with cancer.
Call My Office Today to Find Out More About Class Action Claims for Dangerous Drugs
Class action lawsuits certainly are not limited to claims concerning dangerous drugs and other consumer products or defective medical devices, yet harmful medications often lead to class actions in Ohio and across the country. In recent months, dangerous drugs like Zantac and harmful products like Roundup weed killer have been the subject of a number of claims.
If you or someone you love recently used a dangerous drug or another defective product that is the subject of significant news coverage in Cleveland and across the country, it may be possible to file or to join a class-action claim.
When dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people have been harmed by the same defective consumer product, it is important to hold the company accountable. I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at 877.944.4373 to discuss your injuries and your options for seeking financial compensation.
