I am not overly familiar with class action suits, so probably there are others here who know more about it than I do. My impression is that the lawyers do very well through class-action suits, while the parties to the suit generally see only a few dollars from it. I know that has often been the case, but don't know if that is usually the case. Something happens for which someone is to be held responsible, in which a large number of people are injured, whether physically or in some other way. Generally, people who are injured have the right to file suit against those responsible, seeking compensatory and sometimes even punitive awards in a court of law. When the damaged people don't have the funds to finance their own lawsuits, or even if they can, the lawyers encourage them to band together so that they can file a class action suit. After signing on, the parties to the suit have very little to do with the course of the suit, and they pay nothing out of pocket. Mostly, they wait around, sometimes for years, for the suit to be concluded. Then the money is divided between the parties of the suit, in some manner, and I know that, at least in many cases, the amount that any one person gets is barely enough for a vacation or even a good meal. This is because, over the years of suits, negotiations take place of which the parties to the suit are not part, and the only winners are the lawyers. That's my impression, anyhow, although I know some class action suits have resulted in large payouts. During an antiwar demonstration in Washington, DC, I was arrested by the police and held for a couple of days in what seemed to be a sports stadium with hundreds of other people, given that all of the usual places to hold prisoners were full. At the time, people were saying that it was the old Washington Senators Stadium, but I learned later that it had already been dismantled. It was some stadium in or very near DC, anyhow. It was actually kind of fun, and I wasn't put out by it. A few months later, I received a packet from a law firm wanting me to sign on to a class action suit for illegal detainment or something, I don't remember. I didn't bother signing on to it. It was later settled for what looked like a large amount of money, but my understanding was that the parties to the suit didn't get much at all.
The first time I participated in a class action suit, my payoff was a coupon for 50% off the purchase of another piece of s**t. Oh, thanks....
I have been invited to join a few and haven't bothered. Does that give the lawyers, or the participants more money?
I recently received a check for about $10 something. My share of some class action settlement, don’t even remember what. I’m sure the total amount was easily into the 10s of millions of dollars but with so many people involved and attorneys fees, the “injured parties” receive a laughable amount.
The only time in my life I wrote a letter of complaint to the HQ of a business because their food was that bad (a crappy chain restaurant), I got a coupon for another crappy meal. Regarding the Topic: I've never been involved n a class action suit. I guess we all agree that lawsuits are a good thing when they hold people & businesses rightly accountable. It's when they become another lottery ticket that the system gets abused. And this reminds me of when lawyers did not advertise for things like this...it was an ethics violation.
The class actions suits that I have participated in always stated to do nothing if you want to be a part of it meaning you don't have to do anything but wait. Never got anything worth getting excited about except being able to talk about it. Once I didn't deposit a $2 check and had held onto it pass the time limit and received another one which I did deposit. If I hadn't it probably would end up in the unclaimed money thingy. Having read the information of what, why, when, and how I found out that should you decide not to participate in a class action suit you can file a suit yourself since you've been informed about it. So I did nothing having no money to pursue it legally. What I did find interesting was the fact that after days, months, years to find little old me. Maybe one day I'll get something worth keeping my mouth shut about.
I was awarded $67 once because lawnmowers of the same make and model as mine were misrepresented for horsepower. I don't remember what I did with that windfall. Another time I had to sign an agreement that the lawyers got the first $300 of what they recovered for each client. When it was all settled they collected exactly $300 each for all that signed the agreement.
The selling of private information massive lawsuit 725 million give or take a couple nickels. I figure if we have that 330 million citizens here in America where the suit is valid, that would be about 2 bucks payout to all the past and present users of facebook America. I filed for my 2 bucks !!! you darn right, if it means a grain of salt to help facebook bankrupt it would be fine with me. They will use a point system to award longer members more, I have no idea how they will deal with those of us who were banned off and on over the years for expressing our god given right to free speech. Probably we'll get the shaft as usual. I'm still taking my 2 bucks and hanging it on the wall.
No, I'm not on Facebook so I'll miss out on the massive $2 payout. Don't spend it all in one place, Thomas!
The is for past and present users, if you have ever had an account since 2007 you are qualified. I would have to look at the actual day and month, probably not important.
I would have had an account if Facebook did not behave this way, so I'm also due compensation. Where my two dollar at?
Two bucks? Naw, not worth the hassle. I am like the doe that ran out of the forest and said, "I'll never do that for two bucks again."
I think that if you willfully disclose any private information, that's your fault for putting it out there. If they hacked your bank account, then that's a different story.