Class action lawsuits involve a group of victims, rather than a single one. The group is represented by one or more claimants in a similar situation and with the same complaint. These were more common in the 1960s, when asbestos was first recognized by the general public as dangerous.
There have been several mesothelioma class action lawsuits across the country to date. They are usually filed against companies that displayed gross negligence against their employees and were more popular in the past.
While you may choose to be part of a class action lawsuit, we have found that most mesothelioma victims prefer to file an individual lawsuit.
Reasons why individual lawsuits are better than class action lawsuits
The time it takes to reach a verdict, or settlement, can be faster. A class action lawsuit can take a lot of time. The trial process is usually much longer because every victim needs to be examined, not just you. This may be particularly troubling if you or your loved one are in a critical situation, financially and/or physically, and don’t have much time to spare.
The amount of compensation you’ll receive may be higher. Even though some class action lawsuits have reached settlements totaling in the millions, the amount of compensation needs to be shared by each group member. In an individual lawsuit, the compensation is all yours.