In reality, a class action is nothing more than a method for bringing aggrieved people together in one lawsuit, so that their claims can be decided in a single court proceeding.

There are many reasons to file class action cases. Class actions have compensated workers oppressed by unfair wage practices, citizens sickened by toxic chemical releases and consumers damaged by artificially-inflated prices commanded by greedy corporations. Critics of class actions say that the average recovery is sometimes as low as a few dollars per affected person, so why bother? Advocates of class actions say that this is one example of the power of class actions; they allow people who could not otherwise afford legal representation to recover damages on a large scale, and ensure that companies are held accountable.

The claims brought through class actions are usually no different than those brought in individual cases; in class actions, only the number of people and the similarity between their claims is much greater. Many class actions are filed by one person (acting as a “representative plaintiff”) who then seeks damages or other remedies for other class members as well. Just like unions have the ability to command fair wages for groups of workers, class actions offer the power to see real change in the practices of the world’s largest companies. We know – we help make it happen every day.

The legal system is set up to “level the playing field” and give workers the power to correct workplace abuses. Scott Cole & Associates has served California’s workforce for many years as one of the state’s most respected workers’ rights law firms and has recovered massive and record-setting settlements for employees for workplace abuses.