Lawsuits are not new. Some form of court proceedings involving disputes have existed in various societies for thousands of years. However, in today’s litigious society with legal resources readily available online, corporations, media outlets, and individuals may well find themselves named as defendants in lawsuits, including class action litigation. For those not experienced in the legal system, lawsuits may seem frightening. However, litigation has multiple layers and facets that can yield positive results. Here are four benefits from lawsuits.
Seeking Justice
Certain types of lawsuits, such as class action litigation, allow consumers to seek justice in a viable way. For example, if a bank added hidden fees to which customers did not consent, individuals might not have the means or inclination to file a lawsuit on their own. A class action, however, makes it easier for those affected by the financial corporation’s choices to pursue a case and seek recompense.
Uncovering Truth
Lawsuits require disclosure. This means that attorneys of both sides must conduct extensive research and analyze findings carefully in order to understand actions, choices, and consequences. Sometimes attorneys find while an outcome points to one thing or hints at a possible intention, after examining the case closely they reach an entirely different conclusion.
Legal research seeks evidence on which to base arguments. Attorneys and the legal system overall are interested in facts rather than opinions. Uncovering valuable evidence is imperative to helping judges and juries reach fair decisions. Evidence itself, unlike opinions, is neutral, and it can help reveal the truth of a situation. This focus on evidence is especially helpful in high-profile litigation such as cases involving celebrities. Attorney John Branca, as an executor of Michael Jackson’s estate, sees litigation as an opportunity to seek truth.
Increasing Safety
Lawsuits can act as guardians for consumers, policing companies and their actions in order to keep society safer. A direct example of this particular factor of litigation is a series of lawsuits filed against automaker General Motors in the 1960s. This company manufactured vehicles containing fuel tanks that could easily explode or catch fire in rear collisions. While fixing the problem would have been inexpensive, the company choose to pay for accidents in which someone died, which was cheaper. People began suing the company, and GM had to make their designs safer.
Getting Experienced Representation
Sometimes those who legitimately suffer at the hands of large corporations, be it pharmaceutical companies or restaurants, could not afford to go to court with solid legal representation if they pursued a lawsuit on their own. However, class actions offer another benefit to consumers in that they make it possible for individuals included in the class suit to be represented by an experienced attorney. This increases the chances of financial recompense as the result of a favorable ruling.
The Many Layers of Lawsuits
Litigation is not something to pursue lightly or without thought. However, once filed cases can uncover evidence that leads to finding the truth in a given situation, and they also can result in safer living for society at large. Class actions, in particular, make the justice system more equitable. Lawsuits, though ancient in origin, show no signs of disappearing from today’s legal system.
