Most of us have been in situations where a company or an organization has exerted their superior wealth or power over us. This is true regardless of whether a cable television company charged you for services they never provided, or a pharmaceutical manufacturer downplayed the adverse health risks of their medications.
In most of these cases, victims are at a distinct disadvantage if they decide to take these organizations to court. Large companies typically have scores of lawyers at their disposal as well as deep pockets needed to finance those legal defenses. Conversely, a protracted legal battle could very easily bankrupt a lone victim. This is why many victims simply endure an injustice and move on with their lives without seeking justice through legal action.
Fortunately, Ontario belongs to one of many provinces that now recognize class action lawsuits. Put simply, these types of lawsuits are a mechanism by which individual victims suffering from similar injuries can band together and sue larger organizations. This has an effect of levelling the playing field between those victims and their more powerful opponents.
A good example of how class action lawsuits work in real-world situations is a recent ruling in Nova Scotia. In that case, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia approved a settlement between the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children and victims who had allegedly suffered abuse at some point during the Home’s 70-year history. The victims and lawyers in that case will now split a $29 million settlement.
>As noble as class action lawsuits might seem, they can be prohibitively expensive to litigate. Typically, law firms that specialise in class action litigation will assume the upfront costs of securing experts and conducting investigations or research. Generally, those lawyers will thoroughly examine the merits of potential class action lawsuits before agreeing to take those cases. This arrangement usually works with lawyer’s fees contingent on successful outcomes for their clients.
Based in Toronto, our law firm represents clients in class action cases throughout Canada including North York, Mississauga, Brampton, Milton and other parts of Ontario. Prospective clients should know that our lawyers are available by appointment for initial consultations regarding their cases at no cost.
