How do class action lawsuits differ from typical regular lawsuits in California?
Identifying the differences between class action lawsuits and regular, non-class lawsuits plays an important role in the quest for justice in California. Class action lawsuits are brought by one or more plaintiffs seeking legal action collectively on behalf of a large group of others with similar claims against the defendant. Look here to see a study of California class action litigation: https://www.courts.ca.gov/12230.htm. Initiating the right type of lawsuit is essential for obtaining justice. Consulting with an employment lawyer in San Diego or hiring UELG’s experienced lawyers to help you with a lawsuit against your employer can increase your chances of a favorable outcome, because of their full grasp of the relevant employment laws and regulations, along with their arsenal of experience that helps to ensure your case is handled as successfully as possible.
Discover the key differences between class action lawsuits and non-class individual lawsuits in California:
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- Scope of Litigation: Class action lawsuits involve a group who have similar claims, streamlining legal proceedings. Typically, the damages suffered by potential class members in a class action may not be large enough for each potential class member to be motivated to file an individual, separate lawsuit, making a class action a more efficient way to bring claims. Class actions typically result in the recovery of damages by more affected individuals.
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- Notification and Consent: Class action lawsuits require that notice be provided to potential class members so they are aware of the legal action and can decide whether or not they want to be part of it. Non-class, regular lawsuits do not necessitate this extensive process.
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- Judicial Efficiency: Class actions promote judicial efficiency in that they effectively consolidate similar cases and prevent repetitive litigation. If all potential class members brought their claims in separate, non-class lawsuits, the justice system would be even more backlogged than it is already.
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- Individual Control: In class actions, individual class members (who are not the named plaintiffs in the class action case) have limited control over the case. In non-class lawsuits, the plaintiff may retain more control, and possibly have more influence over legal decisions and strategies in their case based on their unique circumstances.
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- Damages and Settlements: Class action settlement funds are distributed among all class members, which may result in smaller individual awards. However, class actions typically allow for more people to recover awards. On the other hand, in non-class lawsuits, plaintiffs have the potential for larger individual settlements based on their specific damages.