What is a Class Action Law Suit?

A "class action" is a civil suit brought by one or more people on behalf of themselves and others who are similarly situated. In other words, the others are in a substantially similar circumstance where the common issues are the most critical to the lawsuit. For example, if a large number of consumers is injured as a result of an allegedly defective product, the principal issue will be whether the product caused the injury. Some examples of class actions are those brought against the manufacturers of allegedly defective or hazardous products, such as asbestos, certain vaccines, Agent Orange, tobacco, and breast implants. Only then will the question of how badly each party was injured be heard.

Class actions may also be brought on contracts. For example, all customers of America Online could claim damages when it went to its $19.95 per month rate – with inadequate capacity to handle the increased traffic.

Another frequent field for class actions is securities claims. For example, suppose a company issues an allegedly false press release and the stock goes from $10 to $15 but when the truth comes out the stock falls to $6 per share. A class action could be brought on behalf of all the stockholders who purchased shares after the company issued deceptive news and before the truth came out. Each member of the class allegedly suffered some harm as a result of the alleged wrong. The damages each member of the class will vary – someone who bought 1,000 shares at $15 each would be 10 times more impacted than a person who bought 100 shares at $15 – but the critical issue is whether the press release was deceptive, and that is common to all class members.

Typical class actions involve hundreds, thousands or millions of people who have comparable claims. Class action "certification" permits all claims to be heard in a single trial.

Our firm is routinely prosecutes class action lawsuit as lead counsel at any time. Our firm has been certified to serve as class counsel by federal and state courts, in numerous cases, including the following:

• Ramirez et al. v. Trans Union, LLC, C.A. No. 3:12-cv-00632-JSC (N.D. Cal.). To view original complaint, click here.
• Ryals et al. v. Hireright Solutions, Inc., C.A. No. 3:09cv625 (E.D. Va. July 7, 2011) (employment reports/background checks);
• Serrano v. Sterling Testing Systems, Inc. 711 F. Supp. 2d 402 (E.D. Pa.2010) (old/outdated criminal arrest data on employment reports). For more info visit http://www.employmentreportclassaction.com
• Summerfield v. Equifax Information Services, LCC, 2009 WL 3234191 (D. N.J. Sept. 30 2009)(credit bureau sending false info); for more info visit www.equifaxclassaction.info
• Chakejian v. Equifax Information Services, LLC, 256 F.R.D. 492, 2009 WL 764656 (E.D. Pa. 2009)(same)http://www.equifaxclassaction.info/
• Barel v. Bank of America, 255 F.R.D. 393 (E.D. Pa. 2009)(BOA unlawfully obtaining credit reports);
• Mann v. Verizon, C.A. No. 06-5370 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 26, 2008)(Verizon overcharging cell phone customers);
• Smith v. Grayling Corp., 2008 WL 3861286, C.A. No. 07-1905 (E.D. Pa. 2008)(restaurant chain issuing unlawful receipts)
• Strausser v. ACB Receivables Management, Inc., 2008 WL 859224 (E.D. Pa., March 28, 2008)(fair debt collection violations);
• Nienaber v. Citibank (South Dakota), N.A., 2007 WL 2003761 (D.S.D., July 5, 2007)(Citibank unlawfully obtaining credit reports);
• Jordan v. Commonwealth Financial Systems, Inc., 237 F.R.D. 132, (E.D. Pa. 2006)(fair debt collection violations);
• Seawell v. Universal Fidelity Corp, 235 F.R.D. 64 (E.D.Pa. 2006)(debt collector using false representations to collect debt);
• Perry v. FleetBoston Financial Corp., 229 F.R.D.105 (E.D. Pa. 2005)(bank unlawfully obtaining credit reports);
• Beck v. Maximus, Inc., 2005 WL 589749 (E.D. Pa. 2005), Beck v. Maximus, 457 F. 3d 291, 2006 WL 2193603 (3d. Cir. Aug. 4, 2006)(debt collector unlawfully contacting consumer employers);
• Stoner v. CBA Information Services, 352 F. Supp. 2d 549 (E.D. Pa. 2005)(credit bureau failing to investigate consumer dispute);
• Bittner v. Trans Union, LLC, C.A. No. 04-2562 (E.D. Pa. January 4, 2005)(Trans Union failing to provide consumer file information);
• Wisneski v. Nationwide Collections, Inc., 227 F.R.D. 259 (E.D. Pa. 2004)(fair debt collection violations);
• Petrolito v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC, 221 F.R.D. 303 (D. Conn. 2004)(fair debt collection violations);
• Orloff v. Syndicated Office Systems, Inc., 2004 WL 870691 (E.D. Pa 2004)(fair debt collection violations);
• Bonett v. Education Debt Services, Inc., 2003 WL 21658267 (E.D. Pa. 2003)(unlawful collection of student loan);
• Gaumer v. The Bon-Ton Stores, C.A. No. 02-8611 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 30, 2003)(department store fair debt collection violations);
• Street v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, C.A. No. 01-3684 (E.D. Pa. July 30, 2003)(fair debt collection violations);
• Samuel-Bassett v. Kia Motors America, Inc., 212 F.R.D. 271 (E.D. Pa. 2000), vacated on other grounds;
• Oslan v. Law Offices of Mitchell N. Kay, 232 F. Supp. 2d 436 (E.D. Pa. 2002)(law firm violating fair debt collection laws);
• Oslan v. Collection Bureau of Hudson Valley, 206 F.R.D. 109 (E.D. Pa. 2002)(fair debt collection violations);
• Saunders v. Berks Credit & Collections, 2002 WL 1497374 (E.D. Pa. 2002)(fair debt collection violations);
• Schilling v. Let's Talk Cellular and Wireless, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3352 (E.D. Pa. 2002)(cell phone carrier improperly charging fees);
• Fry v. Hayt, Hayt and Landau, 198 F.R.D. 461 (E.D. Pa. 2000)(law firm violating fair debt collection laws);
• Smith v. First Union Mortgage Corporation, 1999 WL 509967 (E.D. Pa. 1999)(law firm and bank violating fair debt collection laws);
• Miller v. Inovision, C.P. Phila. County, December Term, 1999, No. 3504 (debt collector sending unlawful letters)

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