Chris Olsen Can Represent You In a Class Action Lawsuit
With legions of attorneys and millions of dollars at their disposal, big businesses often appear impervious to the actions of a single individual. Fortunately, there are legal processes in place that can provide strength in numbers to parties treated unfairly. Attorney Chris Olsen has been assisting clients with class action suits in the San Diego, CA, area since 2005, with a focus on unjust labor and employment cases. He is ready to fight for justice on your behalf and hold corporations accountable for illegal conduct. To schedule a free consultation and determine your eligibility for a class action lawsuit, please contact us today.
What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?
A class action lawsuit allows a group of individuals who have been wronged by the same entity, such as a large company, to join together and file a lawsuit. By waging a class action suit, plaintiffs can secure damages for multiple parties that might otherwise be too small to merit a full lawsuit.
When multiple parties wish to file a similar complaint against an organization or corporation, they can pursue a class action lawsuit.
Benefits of a Class Action Suit
There are many advantages to filing a class action suit rather than an individual action, especially when a large number of individuals were affected, including:
- Lower risk of retaliation: In this type of lawsuit, the only name that appears is the class representative’s. The individual identities of those involved are protected.
- Preservation of court resources: Instead of flooding the courts with hundreds of individual cases, a class action suit allows the court to focus on one problem at a time.
- Consistency: If hundreds of individual lawsuits are filed, their results would vary widely. Some cases would likely win while others lost. With a class action suit, all parties receive the same decision.
- Incentive and service award: The individual who starts a class action suits, the class representative, may be eligible for a service award in addition to damages. There are also incentive awards for the individuals who represent the case in court.
- Stopping illegal conduct: Individuals involved in a class action suit can seek an injunction against the company. This declares the company's actions to be illegal, preventing them from committing further violations.
If you have suffered wrongdoing at the hands of a large company, there is a good chance you are not alone. Chris Olsen can help vindicate your rights and hold organizations responsible for illegal actions.
Preparing for the Lawsuit
In order to wage a class action lawsuit, a judge must declare that all plaintiffs qualify as a class. They must have a similar complaint, and they should not qualify for individual lawsuits. The court will then notify all potential plaintiffs of their eligibility for the suit. These individuals may choose to join the lawsuit, or they may opt out. The judge can then appoint a lawyer for the plaintiffs (typically the lawyer who filed the case), and together they can devise a plan to distribute any damages won during the case.
No matter what type of injustice or injury you have suffered, Chris Olsen is ready to help you fight the power of big business and protect your individual rights.
Typically, one or two of the plaintiffs, known as class representatives, will represent the entire class in court. In exchange, they may be awarded higher compensation. Sometimes, these cases can be resolved in pre-trial negotiation. However, Chris Olsen is not afraid to take on major corporations in the courtroom should it be necessary. Before the trial, he will typically hold three to four mock juries to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the case. These juries also serve as valuable “rehearsals” for those who will testify in court.
What Is a Class Representative?
In order to pursue a class action suit, you must have a group of individuals with a similar claim against an employer or organization. The actual lawsuit is filed under the name of a representative, who stands in for the larger class. The claims of the class representative must embody the claims of the individual class members, so the court can resolve most or all of the legal and factual issues of the case in a single decision. The role of this individual is to fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class throughout the case.
Generally, class representatives are required to help with the discovery, which involves providing responses to written questions from the defendant as well as answering questions under oath before a court reporter. There are certain financial responsibilities that affect the class representative as well, including traveling at their own expense or allocating money to be held in trust for the costs of the case.
Steps of a Class Action Lawsuit
Typically, class action lawsuits take much longer than individual cases. They typically include:
- Filing and response: Your lawyer files a complaint on behalf of the class as a whole. The defendant, likely your employer, may then respond to the claim.
- Discovery: During this stage, evidence is gathered to support the case. This process may include data collection, depositions, or extra reports. The class representative is usually required to assist with discovery.
- Certification: A certification request is filed asking the courts to approve your class action. If the judge denies the certification, class members may still file individual lawsuits.
- Notification: If the class is certified, all members of the class are notified of the lawsuit. At this point, potential class members can opt out of the proceedings if they do not wish to participate.
- Trial: Once the class members are notified and finalized, your lawyer or the defendant may attempt to reach a settlement. If this is not possible, the case proceeds to trial.
- Final Order: At the end of the trial, the courts will issue a final verdict or settlement amount. The final order may also include an order that requires the defendant to change behaviors or policies.
- Appeal: After the ruling, the defendant or class may appeal the decision to a higher court.
Mr. Olsen can review each step in detail to ensure you feel confident in your decision to pursue a class action lawsuit.
Labor Law and Other Types of Class Action Suits
If you have been denied a just wage, overtime, or expense reimbursement, it is likely other employees are facing a similar situation. With a strong focus on labor law class action suits, Chris Olsen is ready to help you and your coworkers recover your wages. He has represented plaintiffs in nearly fifty wage and hour class action lawsuits and consumer class action proceedings. These cases included smaller cases with less than fifty plaintiffs, as well as large-scale suits in which he represented thousands of employees. Among his class action suits was the landmark Hohnbaum vs. Brinker Restaurant Corporation case, which helped to change the requirements for breaks and meal time in California.
Chris Olsen is equipped to handle many types of class action lawsuits, including:
- Workplace Discrimination
- Sexual Harassment
- Whistleblower and Retaliation Cases
- Breach of Contract
- Defective Products
- Medical Malpractice
We are also currently working on several multidistrict litigation (MDL) cases, including:
This form of litigation is designed to accelerate legal proceedings in cases where plaintiffs are located in different districts.
Contact Olsen Law Offices
No matter what type of injustice or injury you have suffered, Chris Olsen is ready to help you fight big business and protect your individual rights. If you think you may have grounds to file a class action lawsuit, contact our firm online or call us at (619) 550-9352. Chris Olsen can provide a free consultation to determine your eligibility.
