A group action lawsuit in the UK usually involves collating multiple similar claims against a common Defendant(s) to fight for justice in one lawsuit.
When all claimants join the same group action, it can increase the efficiency of the legal battle and can also strengthen the force which lawyers can oppose the Defendant with.
At The Group Action Lawyers, we are pioneers of group action lawsuits in the UK, having represented thousands of claimants in dozens of group and multi-party claims. From huge actions against medical manufacturers, to our ground-breaking work in the emissions lawsuits against carmakers, our experience stretches far and wide. We are here to help anyone who thinks their consumer rights may have been violated, as we aim to hold both large corporations and local organisations to account for their abuse of power.
What happens in a group action lawsuit in the UK?
A group action lawsuit in the UK can take some time to build, as they may require a significant number of claimants to join before a substantial case can be brought against the Defendant. For example, if a large data breach occurs, and the company it concerns is believed to be responsible for the incident, it may take some months or even years to ascertain who can claim, what they can claim for, and what the value of each claim is.
At this point, the claimants’ representatives could take the cases to court, or enter settlement negotiations with the Defendant before court action is required.
It is important to remember that, in a group action lawsuit in the UK, each claim can be valued on its individual circumstances. As such, the compensation can be dependent on the severity of any damage suffered by each claimant.
Although this may vary according to the type of case, claimants can typically access General Damages if they have suffered injury or distress due to a breach of their legal rights, and Special Damages if they have incurred any losses or expenses, such as lost earnings.
Major group action lawsuits
We have launched and participated in many group action lawsuits in the UK, including several which have pioneered this area of litigation and made sizeable contributions to the defence of consumer rights.
For example, our contribution to the international PIP breast implants lawsuit has, so far, meant that we have recovered over a million pounds in damages, compensating many victims who have suffered as a result of the faulty implants.
We were also the first UK law firm in England and Wales to launch high court action against Volkswagen for their emissions practices in January 2016; a lawsuit which has since led to numerous other group actions against car manufacturers also suspected of cheating emissions tests.
We are taking action for some of the biggest data breaches in the UK, such as the British Airways data breach and the Virgin Media data leak.
Claiming in a group action lawsuit
Our expertise in group action law makes us well-placed to carry out these lawsuits, taking on thousands of claimants for shared causes and always striving to uphold their rights as victims. Wherever possible, we can try to alert as many claimants as we can to their eligibility to claim, so that they don’t miss out on the compensation that they deserve.
If you think you may have a case, do not hesitate to contact us for a no-obligation discussion, and we can advise you regarding your right to claim.