What is a class action lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit is a legal action in which a large group of people, called the “class,” bring claims against a single defendant or a few defendants. The class claims are based on similar facts, experiences, or rights violation experienced by the group. These types of lawsuits occur most often when a large group of people’s rights are violated by a single defendant and it is not financially feasible for each individual to file a lawsuit. In West Virginia, a class action lawsuit can be brought in federal or state court. The plaintiff—the person bringing the claim—is called the class representative. The class representative represents all members of the class who have suffered the same injury or rights violation. The class representative is responsible for filing the lawsuit, which must include facts and allegations shared by all members of the class. In West Virginia, class action lawsuits can occur in a variety of areas such as consumer protection, employment law, environmental law, and products liability. Class action lawsuits are different from traditional lawsuits in that the claims of all class members are adjudicated as a single case. The court will decide if the class has been wronged, and if so, all class members are awarded damages as determined by the court. Class action lawsuits are an important way for large groups of people to seek justice for a wrong committed against them by a single defendant. It is important to recognize the rights of class members to bring these kinds of claims to court, especially when the wrong cannot be adequately addressed through individual lawsuits.

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What is a class action lawsuit?

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