The lead plaintiff is often the first plaintiff who brings the case to the attention of the attorneys involved, so he or she will essentially be the one responsible for choosing the legal representation that will be used to move the case forward.
Is anything awarded to winning plaintiffs in a lawsuit?
Usually, each individual plaintiff will receive an equal portion of the award, or a specific dollar figure from a fund. Occasionally, there is a more individualized review of damages that allows attorneys to distribute the compensation based on the damages each plaintiff suffered. This is not common, however.
What happens if a class action lawsuit fails?
When a class action is lost, the plaintiffs who are members of the class will not receive any compensation for the damages that they experienced. As a result, the members of a class action cannot file their own individual or personal lawsuits if the court finds for the defendant in a class action case.
What is a lead plaintiff in a class action?
A lead plaintiff, also known as a named plaintiff or a representative plaintiff, is appointed by the court as that plaintiff most capable of representing the interests of the class members and is generally that plaintiff that has the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class.
Can I get money from a class action lawsuit?
If your class action lawsuit is successful, you will receive a portion of the settlement or court award. Plaintiffs are paid by a lump-sum payment or a structured settlement. Smaller payouts are usually dispersed as a single payment.
Will I get money from a class action lawsuit?
Can a lead plaintiff get an extra award?
There is no guarantee, though. It’s a class representative proposed incentive award. In other words, the attorneys ask for an extra award for the lead plaintiff, but the judge decides whether the award is appropriate and how much it will be. What are the pros and cons of being a lead plaintiff?
How much money do lead plaintiffs get in class action lawsuits?
Sometimes there is no extra money for class representatives, but some of the largest lead plaintiff awards have been nearly $100,000. Learn more in our free legal guide below. Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury.
What are the obligations of being a lead plaintiff?
Being named as a lead plaintiff, one is primarily obliged to successfully represent the entire class of individuals who suffered the same or similar injuries. Thus, before you agree to be the lead plaintiff in a class action, here are some things you should know about the obligations the role entails:
Do you have to be a class member or lead plaintiff?
In most cases, you do not have to do anything but sign up to be a class member. You do not even need to testify in court as a class member. Yet, being a lead plaintiff is a different story with all its benefits and obligations.
