In 2008, there was a class-action lawsuit filed against the Dannon company, makers of the famous Activia yogurt product. Those who have eaten Activia before are aware of the health benefit claims made by Dannon about eating the substance. In commercials and advertisements - even press releases - the company went on record stating that the yogurt would improve digestive function and support a healthy immune system by doing so. These were health claims, but were not facts based on scientific research.
After developing concerns about Dannon lacking fact-based reports about the advertised health benefits, researchers began testing the substance and were able to show that the health claims lacked solid ground for the ideas they were giving consumers. Many people in the United States have been purchasing this yogurt product for several years, perhaps spending hundreds of dollars in that amount of time. Activia yogurt is more expensive than an average cup of yogurt, but the ingredients and substances are the same in other less-expensive products. Many consumers were angry about paying so much for yogurt that was identical to low-cost generic products. They were unaware that the live cultures found in regular yogurt have the same effect on a digestive system that Activia does.
After the lawsuit was filed, it was decided that Dannon was to pay a $35 million settlement on the grounds of false advertisement. They also had to change their yogurt containers to make the scientific names of the live cultures more noticeable, as well as simply stating that Activia has an effect on the digestive system, instead of claiming it will improve it. The money from the settlement is supposed to be given to consumers who have spent more than $100 on Activia products in the last several years.
Those who have eaten significant amounts of Activia yogurt qualify for a claim in this settlement. It is important to avoid delaying filing a claim, as the money will be dispersed to those who file their claim first. Since the issue has already received a ruling and judgment, it is simple for affected parties to collect their money. The funds are nearly gone, so consumers must contact an attorney immediately to guide them in how to file a claim. There are several attorneys available; most local personal injury lawyers will have more information about this process and will be able to assist in a timely manner.
In law, a class action or a representative actionis a form of lawsuit in which a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court and/or in which a class of defendants is being sued.
A class action lawsuit is a lawsuit in which one firm represent many different clients in the same claim. They are usually taken out against larger companies as they can bare more weight than a single person lawsuit. Perhaps the most famous class action lawsuits were those in the late 1990's against big tobacco companies. The article below goes into more detail regarding class action lawsuits.
The only requirement for a class action lawsuit is that the lawsuit inovles multiple suing parties. Some of the most famous class action lawsuits came out of the late 90's pursuit of the tobacco industry. Below is a link to the largest, current class action lawsuit, Dukes Vs. Walmart:
The NAACP filed a class action lawsuit on the behalf of Linda Brown and her family.
A class action is a type of lawsuit where one or more people sue on behalf of a larger group who have similar legal claims. It allows for multiple individuals with similar legal grievances to consolidate their claims into a single case. This can be more efficient and cost-effective for parties involved.
The way it is settled depends on the type of class action lawsuit. The process for a product liability class action, for example, will be different than an employment class action suit-such as the one involving Wal-Mart right now.
What provision(s) of the securities law will probably be the basis for a class-action lawsuit by the stockholders
yes there should be a class action lawsuit
If you have a claim you need to work through the attorney. If it is class action you had to be a part of it before the settlement.
The fastest way is to talk to a plaintiff class action lawyer. If its an existing class action lawsuit he or she should be able to direct you to the law firm handling the case. If its a new class action lawsuit most class action lawyers will investigate and provide advice at no cost. Good luck.=]
Yes, it is before the courts right now to decide if it is a class action.
Contact the attorney(s) that sent out the notice that there is a class action lawsuit.