Class action lawsuits in California are filed to resolve a common issue of damages or liability that affects a large group of people. It supports individual claimants who wouldn’t otherwise have the means to pursue a claim on their own.
These lawsuits are usually filed against employers and companies whose negligence badly affected individuals. People file them for various reasons, but when it’s workplace-related, it’s usually because of employee discrimination, illegal business practices, and breach of contract.
If you’re planning to file a class action lawsuit in California against your employer, look for a lawyer with experience. They’ll walk you through the entire process and explain every legal option you can take. But before you do, there are a few things you should know about class action lawsuits.
What Qualifies For a Class Action Lawsuit?
The first thing that you need to do is to determine if your claim can be certified as a class action lawsuit. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) Rule 23 lists attributes that will let you know if it can qualify. Here are a few of them:
- Proof that numerous individuals have sustained harm in a similar way or sustained financial losses at the hands of the accused party.Suing individually can make it hard to hold the responsible party accountable.
- The lead plaintiff and their legal counsel have a reasonable plan that can represent a class appropriately.
How Many Plaintiffs Are Needed to Start a Class Action?
No specific number of plaintiffs is required: class actions come in all sizes. That said, most courts won’t certify a class unless there are at least a few dozen participants who got affected in a similar way.
The main reason why judges usually only certify lawsuits that have a large class is because of how complex these cases are. Consolidating a large group of plaintiffs would allow the courts to work more efficiently. If there are only a few plaintiffs, it would make more sense to litigate each one individually instead.
How Long Does It Usually Take?
The time it takes to finish a lawsuit like this depends on a number of factors. Reaching out to fellow class members can take a long time. The discovery process or gathering an ample amount of evidence will also take a while. And if a settlement isn’t reached, the case will ruled on by a judge. A ruling can be appealed, which could lengthen the process even more.
Class action lawsuits can be finished in as fast as a few months, but sometimes it could take years for a decision to be reached. This is why most of them are resolved through settlements.
Work With Credible and Reliable Class Action Lawyers in California
Being part of a large case like a class action lawsuit can be overwhelming due to its scope, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Having a credible and experienced class action lawyer by your side will make things easier for you.
Haffner Law has the experience and skills to help you get the proper compensation you deserve. Our legal team will guide you throughout the entire process, so you won’t have to worry about the details. Get in touch with us today for a free consultation.
