What type of cases are appropriate for class actions?
Class actions are often used to seek monetary damages and other relief resulting from violations of the anti-trust laws (such as price-fixing conspiracies and monopolization cases), securities law violations (such as fraudulent financial statements and market manipulation), consumer fraud, human and civil rights violations, employee benefits disputes, and environmental, toxic and other mass torts (including oil spills, defective products and defective drugs and medical devices). The attorneys representing the lead plaintiffs in effect serve as "private attorneys' general" to assist in the enforcement of Federal and State laws, by representing large numbers of persons injured.