How Many People Do You Need to Start a Class Action Lawsuit Canada?

Although a class action lawsuit represents the legal interests of a large number of Class Members, it only takes one person, or a small group of people, to file the lawsuit. The legal process for a class action lawsuit Canada is similar to the legal process for class action lawsuits in the United States. It only takes one person to start a class action lawsuit, but that one person can potentially represent the legal interests of hundreds, thousands or even millions of Canadians.

What is a Class Action Lawsuit Canada?

As in the United States, a class action lawsuit in Canada is a type of legal action filed by one person or group of people on behalf of a large number of consumers who have experienced the same legal injury. Class action lawsuits often involve claims of product defects, false advertising, unauthorized charges, and antitrust violations when a company has acted in such a way that a large group of people are affected.

The individual who starts the class action lawsuit Canada is referred to as the Class representative or the named plaintiff. There can be more than one Class representative. Class action lawsuits make sense in situations when a large number of people are affected by the same legal problem. Instead of having each affected consumer file their own individual lawsuit for a claim that may not be worth all that much money, a class action lawsuit provides a way for their claims to be handled collectively.

In addition to potentially providing compensation to all eligible Class Members, a successful class action lawsuit also helps to hold companies accountable for wrongdoing. A judge may order them to change their conduct, pay a hefty fine, or to conduct a corrective advertising campaign.

There are several ways that a class action lawsuit Canada may be resolved. A defendant can have the case dismissed by a judge. In this situation, a plaintiff could potentially file an appeal to the dismissal and restart the class action lawsuit. The class action lawsuit could go to trial, which will determine which side wins and whether Class Members are entitled to compensation. In many cases, the plaintiff and defendant will reach a class action settlement before trial. The settlement terms must be approved by a judge.

How Many Class Members Do You Need?

There is no hard and fast rule for the number of Class Members needed for a class action lawsuit Canada. Generally, there must be enough qualified individuals with a common legal issue, so much so that addressing the individual claims separately would be impractical. Most class action lawsuits involve hundreds or thousands of Class Members, but judges will certify smaller classes when appropriate.

It is possible that a judge would certify a class action lawsuit with only a few dozen Class Members, depending on the nature of the alleged harm. The largest class action lawsuit in Canada could potentially involve millions of eligible Class Members. Reportedly, the largest class-action payout to date was the Indian residential school settlement of $1 billion.

Once a class action lawsuit is certified, the plaintiffs’ attorneys will issue notice to all eligible Class Members. If it is possible to contact each Class Member directly, such as by mail or email, notice may be sent this way. In many cases, notice of a class action lawsuit will be posted in newspapers, magazines, or online. Top Class Actions is another excellent source of information about class action lawsuits and settlements.

Join a Class Action Canada

New class action lawsuits are being filed all the time. As a consumer, there’s a good chance that you qualify as a Class Member for at least one. To learn more about the latest class action lawsuits and settlements in Canada, Top Class Actions has you covered. If you’re thinking of starting a class action lawsuit, submit your information here. Our network of lawyers will review your case and if you qualify, you will be contacted for a free legal consultation.

It’s also possible that attorneys are already looking for plaintiffs to take the lead in a class action lawsuit. Take a look at our open class action lawsuit Canada investigations to see if you qualify. It doesn’t cost anything to be part of a class action lawsuit. If you qualify to serve as a Class representative, you may be entitled to receive a payment called a service or incentive award if the case is settled, or if a judge rules in your favor.

Top Class Actions is committed to educating consumers about all available class action settlement money so that they can claim what they are entitled to claim. Make sure you don’t miss out on any free money to which you’re entitled and sign up for our free newsletter. We’ll let you know about the latest class action settlements and any filing deadlines that are approaching. You can also check out our Open Settlements section to find out which settlements are currently accepting claims.

Read More Lawsuit & Settlement News:

Where Does Unclaimed Settlement Money Go?

How Does a Class Action Rebate Work?