Class Actions

Consumer class actions are filed where a group of consumers have been the victim of similar misconduct by the defendants. The named plaintiff seeks to represent the other consumers and obtain a certification of the class. The class representative(s) agrees to pursue the interests of the other class members along with the interests of the representative(s). Kemnitzer Barron & Krieg lawyers have brought class actions involving car defects, false advertising, auto dealer forgery, deceptive insurance practices in self-storage units, defective repossession notices, lemon laundering, door-to-door sales scams and other claims.

The other class members may or may not be witnesses if the case goes to trial, and they may or may not get identical relief. All class members may be bound by the judgment in a subsequent action on the very same claim. Many class actions settle prior to trial. But there is always a chance that a class action case will go to trial.

Note that class action litigation is more complicated than ordinary consumer litigation. The cases require experienced class counsel. Adequacy and competence of counsel is one of the requirements for certification of the class by the judge.

As a consumer, if you have been unable to resolve a problem you may have had with a company over a product or service, you may need a lawyer. Class actions often involve consumers whose individual claims are relatively small so don’t be concerned about the size of your claim if the problem is likely to have occurred to other consumers with that company. Our firm does not charge for a consultation and when we accept a case, it is on contingency basis, meaning that we must get our fees from the defendants in the case.

To see more about Kemnitzer, Barron & Krieg’s Class Actions, visit our “Frequently Asked Questions” page.