Oregon Class Action Lawyer

When an individual suffers economic and non-economic damages due to the actions of another party, it can form the foundation of a civil lawsuit. However, in some cases, multiple victims all suffer similar damages due to the actions of a single party, usually a corporate entity. In this situation, the individual victims have a greater chance of ensuring accountability with a class-action lawsuit. An Oregon class-action lawsuit lawyer can help in this situation.

Representing Class Action Lawsuits in Oregon

Bliven Law Firm, P.C., has more than 35 years of experience representing injured clients in all types of cases, including individual personal injury cases, product liability claims, mass torts, and class action lawsuits. We understand that you may be confused about your legal options, and our goal is to help you make sense of your situation and have the greatest chance of securing the compensation you deserve.

Your Oregon class action lawsuit lawyer at Bliven Law Firm, P.C., can help you understand the potential advantages of joining a class action lawsuit rather than filing an individual claim. We can determine if there is already a class action lawsuit in progress that you can join, or if you and other potential plaintiffs are eligible to form a new plaintiff class.

Building Class Action Lawsuits in Oregon

Class action lawsuits are often conflated with mass torts. Both types of cases involve multiple plaintiffs facing a single defendant, but while a mass tort allows each plaintiff to seek compensation for their own individual damages, a class action seeks a large lump sum that is then divided equally among all members of the plaintiff class at the conclusion of the case.

A mass tort is more appropriate when each plaintiff has individually suffered significant damages, allowing them to have more control over their case and potentially resulting in substantial compensation from the defendant. By comparison, a class action lawsuit is more appropriate when each individual member of the class has only suffered relatively small damages that, individually, would not justify the cost of pursuing individual civil cases.

In a class action lawsuit, one member or a small group of members of the plaintiff class actively participate in the case under the guidance of their attorney. They act on behalf of the entire class, and if successful, the proceeds of the case will then be divided evenly among all members of the plaintiff class. This can streamline case proceedings significantly compared to how long it would take for all of these individual cases to be resolved.

If your individual damages would not justify the cost of pursuing an individual claim, but there are many other plaintiffs with similar damages that, when added together, form a substantial figure, a class action lawsuit may be the most viable legal option available to you. In the United States, class action lawsuits are filed for many reasons every year. Some of the most commonly filed types of class action lawsuits include:

• Class action lawsuits against employers alleging violations of workers’ rights.
• Environmental damage claims, which may involve the dumping of toxic substances or industrial practices that harm the local environment. These acts can harm the health of many victims in the local area.
• Securities and investment fraud.
• Data breaches, which can leave affected customers vulnerable to identity theft.
• Product liability cases. For example, multiple end users of a product have all suffered similar damages from the same product.

In 2024, billions in damages were paid out to plaintiffs in class action lawsuits:

• About $23.40 billion in damages were paid to plaintiffs in product liability class actions. The largest resulted in $10.3 billion in damages and $1 billion in attorneys’ fees paid by 3M due to the company contaminating water systems throughout the United States with PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), chemicals that persist in the environment for very long periods that have been linked with cancer and other adverse health effects.
• Antitrust class action lawsuits generated $8.412 billion in damages. These cases generally pertain to businesses engaging in anti-competitive practices such as collusion and price fixing.
• Consumer fraud class action lawsuits generated $2.44 billion in damages. These cases target companies that have intentionally engaged in deceptive and fraudulent practices to take advantage of their customers.

When participating in a class action, the case award or settlement reached is then split among all members of the plaintiff class. The individual plaintiff or group of individuals who acted as the class lead sometimes receive additional compensation to account for their more active roles in these cases. Your Oregon class action lawsuit can explain what to expect when it comes to the final compensation awarded to your plaintiff class if you succeed with the case.

Generally, a class action trades efficiency and expediency for a smaller individual amount of compensation per plaintiff. However, if each plaintiff’s damages did not amount to a high enough figure to justify individual claims, then it makes more sense for them to band together and form a class action lawsuit.

Find an Oregon Class Action Lawsuit Lawyer Today

Time is a crucial concern for any type of civil claim for damages. If you are unsure whether you qualify to file an individual personal injury suit, join a mass tort, or participate in a class action lawsuit, the team at Bliven Law Firm, P.C., can help you understand your options and make an informed decision.

If you have suffered significant damages, you may have the ability to join a mass tort action against the defendant responsible for the harm you experienced. This could mean greater compensation than you might expect from participating in a class action, but the case will take much longer to resolve.

For many class action lawsuit members, their active participation is minimal, and their attorney can secure all of the evidence and documentation they will need to show the full extent of their damages. The right attorney can help all members of the class maximize their individual compensation by seeking maximum damages from the defendant.

Contact Bliven Law Firm, P.C., today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Oregon class action lawsuit lawyer and learn how we can help.