Consumer Class Action Lawsuits
A class action lawsuit is a civil lawsuit filed by one or more persons on behalf of themselves or a group of individuals with the same complaint.
Class actions typically involve hundreds or thousands of people. They can be brought for many different reasons, including faulty contracts, securities claims, and defective products. Damages can vary among the various plaintiffs depending on the extent to which each of them was affected by the issue in question.
What Makes a Class Action?
Class action lawsuits typically begin when an attorney discovers that many people may share the same grievance with the same party.
Before proceeding with the suit, the law firm representing the plaintiffs must request that the court certify the case as a class action. The court will only do so if the firm sufficiently demonstrates that the case fits the definition of a class action lawsuit - that is, a group of cases whose common issues are the most important aspect of the suit. For example, suits involving defective products often meet the definition of a class action because the primary issue to be resolved is whether the product did in fact cause injury to the plaintiffs.
Holding Companies Responsible
When companies act inappropriately, they should be held accountable. Class actions can be brought against the manufacturers of any hazardous product, including pharmaceuticals, defective toys, tobacco and asbestos.
The law offices of Levin, Simes, Kaiser & Gornick investigate claims and bring lawsuits on behalf of people who have been harmed by large corporations. Some of those lawsuits are single cases on behalf of individuals, while others are class actions on behalf of groups of people suing together for the same grievance.
Much of the firm’s class action work focuses on asbestos claims, pharmaceuticals and product liability, including defective medical devices.
Levin, Simes, Kaiser & Gornick represents thousands of individuals and families in product liability cases involving terminal cancer, serious injuries to the liver, kidneys and lungs, and wrongful death due to defective products.
LSKG brings national experience and a unique perspective gained from years of representing big corporations. The firm’s experienced attorneys know the strategies these companies use to avoid liability – and the counterstrategies that will work to your benefit.
If you feel you have been financially harmed by the actions of a large company, please contact the law offices of Levin, Simes, Kaiser & Gornick at (800) 901-4001. Their experience protecting personal injury victims help them provide you with a better understanding of your legal rights and any opportunity for compensation.
Examples of Class Actions
Vytorin
On January 14, 2008, Merck & Co., Inc. and the Shering-Plough Corporation released the long awaited ENHANCE study assessing the effectiveness of Vytorin, a prescription drug designed to reduce cholesterol. The study showed that Vytorin did not reduce arterial plaque buildup any better than cheaper, generic cholesterol drugs (statins).
Levin Simes Kaiser & Gornick, LLP
44 Montgomery Street, 36th floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
Ph: 1.800.901.4001
Fax: 415.981.1270
