Big Pharma companies cater to so many people, and almost all and sundry use their products. As such, they have a responsibility to ensure that their products are fit for use. However, that is not the case. There have been uncountable instances of big pharma creating products or drugs that affect people negatively.
It is the cause of several class-action lawsuits that classes of plaintiffs file against them. This article explores the concept of class action lawsuits and helps you understand why and how you can join one. To learn more, contact us at Rueb Stoller Daniel, and we can walk you through the process.
What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?
A class action lawsuit is a type of lawsuit with different individuals who have suffered harm from one person or organization. Sometimes, one person, organization, or company harms different people. In such cases, if the people meet some requirements, the individuals can come together to form a class of plaintiffs in one lawsuit. This is an alternative to filing different lawsuits against the same person.
Class action lawsuits can be filed over different cases. This includes defective products, unfair business practices, stockholder claims, employee-related issues, etc. Some of the organizations that have had class action suits filed against them are Big Pharma.
The Food and Drug Administration has to approve drugs before they start production. However, there could still be some defects in production causing adverse effects. For instance, The American Cancer Society has linked Talcum powder to cancer.
Companies like Johnson and Johnson have ongoing class-action lawsuits against them for producing talcum powder when they know it causes ovarian cancer. There are continuing class-action suits against companies that make a hernia mesh. Companies that make drugs, such as Zantac, Truvada, etc., also have lawsuits filed against them because of the detrimental effects of the drugs.
Should I Join a Class Act Lawsuit?
Are you considering filing or joining a class-action lawsuit? You should if you believe that you sustained a physical injury or have legitimate reasons to file a lawsuit against a company. You might be wondering if you will be able to pay the lawyers for the procedure, and that might make you hesitate to file or join the class action lawsuit.
However, you must understand that the lawyers get payment on a contingency basis for such lawsuits. This means that you do not have to pay out-of-pocket for the services of a lawyer.
The attorneys will not charge you anything unless you win a settlement. When that happens, they will request compensation for the legal representation from the court. The court will then award them their fees on top of the settlement amount for the lawsuit.
Once the class action complaint is filed and served on the defendant, a court must certify the class. Depending on the state, either the court will initiate the certification process, or the plaintiff must file a motion to have the class approved before the case can proceed.
How To Get Certified To Join a Class Action Lawsuit against Big Pharma
Are you wondering how you can join a class-action lawsuit against Big Pharma? These are the requirements to get verified to join the class action lawsuit:
- You must have suffered the same harm or injuries as other plaintiffs in the class.
- The class members must define the class clearly to ensure that it is easy to determine members of the class.
- A common legal interest cuts across all class members’ complaints.
- The cases must be so similar that a judgment made for members present during the ruling applies to absent members.
- The class must be certified unless your case will be dismissed.
- Settlement negotiations will only begin when the class is certified.
- You cannot get settlements from class-action lawsuits that you were not permitted to join.
- The judge can certify or not certify a class based on their discretion.
- That a judge approves a class does not mean that they will find the defendant guilty of a wrongful act.
Speak to an Attorney to Get Started!
If you or any of your loved ones have been negatively affected by drugs or products from Big Pharma, we can help you file or join a class-action lawsuit. To get started, speak to our experienced attorneys at Rueb Stoller Daniel. With over fifty years of collective experience, we will do our best to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Our lawyers are experienced with class-action lawsuits and will ensure that you have all the information you need to proceed. We will ensure that we review your case, help you investigate, and ensure that you have all the requirements to file or join the lawsuit. Contact us today to get started.