Fighting for Justice Through Class Actions
What is a class action?
A class action is one lawsuit that speaks for many people who have been hurt in the same way. Instead of making thousands of separate trips to court, everyone’s claims are combined in a single case. One judge makes one decision that applies to the whole group, and any money that is won is divided among all who qualify.
Class actions save time, lower costs, and make it possible to stand up to powerful companies that might ignore an individual complaint but must answer when an entire class comes forward together.
For a court to treat many people’s claims as one class action, it has to see that the group meets a few clear tests:
Big enough group. So many people were affected that filing separate lawsuits would make no sense.
Same core problem. Everyone’s story hinges on the same key facts or legal question.
Typical claims. The lead plaintiff’s situation matches what happened to the rest of the class.
Fair leadership. The lead plaintiff and lawyers will protect the whole group, not just themselves.
After those basics, the judge also asks two more questions:
Do shared issues outweigh one-off details? The common proof must drive the case so individual side questions don’t swallow it.
Is a class action the best tool? Handling the dispute in one case must be more efficient and fair than thousands of separate suits.
When all of these conditions line up, the court “certifies” the class, and the lawsuit can move forward on behalf of everyone in the group.
What is a lead plaintiff and what do they do?
Every class action needs at least one person willing to put their name at the top of the lawsuit. This person is called the lead plaintiff or class representative. The lead plaintiff’s main job is to tell the story of what happened, share any important papers, and, if asked, answer questions under oath.
Lead plaintiffs do not pay extra legal fees, and the court often gives them a small award at the end to thank them for their added effort. Everyone else in the class stays in the background, receives updates, and shares in any recovery without taking on these extra duties.
Benefits of class actions
Class actions level the playing field. By joining forces, ordinary people gain the same kind of leverage large corporations already have. The costs of experts, filings, and discovery are spread across the whole group and advanced by Loevy + Loevy, so no one faces a financial barrier to justice.
A judge reviews every settlement to be sure it is fair, and the defendant cannot quietly settle with only a handful of people while leaving everyone else out.
Successful cases often do more than pay money. They force changes in company policies, improve data security, correct false advertising, or remove unsafe products from the market. In short, class actions provide compensation, deterrence, and reform all at once.
When many people face the same harm, a class action gives them power they could never have alone. One lawsuit means one set of lawyers and experts instead of thousands.
The legal costs, including filing fees, research, expert reports, are paid up-front by the firm and only come out of a recovery if the case succeeds.
A judge watches every step, so the settlement must be fair to everyone, not just to the first few who speak up.
Because the wrongdoer sees an entire crowd standing together, it has a strong reason to fix the problem, change its policies, and pay real money to those who were hurt.
In short, class actions save time, lower costs, treat everyone the same, and push companies to behave better in the future.
Common types of class actions
Most class actions involve patterns of wrongdoing that touch many lives at once.
Consumer-fraud cases deal with hidden fees, false labels, or unfair billing practices.
Data-privacy cases arise when a hack or leak exposes personal information or when companies collect biometric data, like face scans or fingerprints, without permission.
AI-misuse lawsuits target unfair algorithms that cause harm to creators, biased credit decisions, hiring practices, or pricing.
Antitrust class actions challenge price-fixing, supply-rigging, or secret deals that block competition and can make shoppers pay more and small firms struggle to survive.
Whatever the problem—hidden fees, stolen data, bad code, crooked books, or rigged prices, class actions give everyday people the power to fight back together.
Steps in a class action lawsuit
Your first step is simple: you share your story with Loevy + Loevy through a short, private form or a phone call. A lawyer reviews your information at no cost and explains whether you fit the class.
If the case moves forward, our team gathers evidence, speaks with experts, and prepares a detailed complaint that explains the wrongdoing and asks the court to recognize the class. The judge then decides whether one lawsuit can fairly cover everyone’s claims; this decision is called class certification.
After certification, both sides exchange information in a phase called discovery, and settlement talks often begin. Any proposed agreement goes back to the court for careful review. Class members receive plain-language notices that describe the deal, the amount they can expect, and their right to comment or opt out. If no fair settlement emerges, Loevy + Loevy takes the case to trial.
When the litigation ends, through a verdict or a judge-approved settlement, a neutral administrator calculates each person’s share and sends payments. Most class members spend little time on the process beyond the first contact and the final step of receiving compensation.
Loevy + Loevy's class action settlements and victories
Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients nationwide, and secured meaningful relief for thousands of people who have been injured and exploited by powerful interests.
We secured a $12.5 million fund for residents of a Chicago neighborhood who suffered injuries and property damage from a reckless power plant demolition. We won $228 million for truck drivers whose privacy rights were violated by their employer. When facial recognition company Clearview violated the biometric privacy rights of tens of thousands of people, we came up with an innovative, first-of-its-kind settlement that gave our clients an ownership stake in the company worth over $50 million. And our class-action lawsuits against police departments and prisons have ensured tens of millions in compensation to individuals, and helped create lasting policy changes that will protect thousands more in the future.
Disadvantages to keep in mind
Class actions are not perfect. Because the case covers so many people, it can move slowly, sometimes several years from filing to payment. Individual class members do not direct the day-to-day strategy; the lead plaintiff and the court-appointed lawyers make those choices. If the case settles, your share is set by a formula approved by the judge, so it might be smaller than what you could win in a separate lawsuit where your damages are unusually high. Missing the opt-out deadline means you are bound by the result even if you later change your mind. Finally, if the defendants appeal, payments can be delayed.
These limits are real, but for most people the balance still favors a class action, because the alternative, suing alone, can be far more expensive and risky.
Why hire Loevy + Loevy?
Loevy + Loevy is one of the nation’s most respected plaintiffs’ firms. We try hard cases and are prepared to go to a jury when a fair settlement is not offered. Our lawyers understand the complex laws that govern consumer fraud, data privacy, biometrics, and artificial intelligence, and we translate those laws into plain English for our clients. We keep you informed, return your calls, and never charge a fee unless we obtain a recovery. With Loevy + Loevy, you gain experienced advocates who combine courtroom skill with a client-first approach.
Contact Loevy + Loevy
Corporate misconduct thrives when people feel powerless. A single conversation can change that. Reach out today for a free and confidential review of your situation. Our team will explain your rights, answer every question, and guide you toward the justice you deserve, without any cost to you unless we win.
Together, we can hold powerful companies accountable and deliver real results. Contact us today to begin.
Current Class Actions
DraftKings
Gambling, Consumer Protection
Many people have been taken in by deceptive promotions from the online betting giant, which misleads them into betting and losing large amounts of money.
LEARN MORE
ACTIVE
Photobucket
Privacy/BIPA
Photobucket has licensed users’ photos to third-parties to build artificial intelligence and biometric identification products without consent.
LEARN MORE
ACTIVE
Instacart
Consumer Protection
Instacart has been collecting, storing, and sharing the facial recognition information of its shoppers, in violation of Illinois’ Biological Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
LEARN MORE
ACTIVE
Music AI
Artificial Intelligence
AI music companies like Suno and Udio train their models on the copyrighted work of hardworking musicians. If you are the rights-holder of music on the internet, you may be entitled to compensation.
LEARN MORE
INVESTIGATION
PBMs
Healthcare, Consumer Protection
The top three PBMs control nearly 80% of U.S. prescriptions, underpaying pharmacies and raising patient prices. If your pharmacy’s reimbursements plunged, you may be entitled to compensation.
LEARN MORE
INVESTIGATION
Graphics AI
Artificial Intelligence
AI design platforms train on millions of copyrighted images scraped from the internet without permission. If you own artwork online, you may be entitled to compensation.
LEARN MORE
INVESTIGATION
Consumer Loans
Consumer Protection
Financial institutions are delaying loan-payment credits to profit from overnight float and pile on extra interest. If your payment posted late, you may be entitled to compensation.
LEARN MORE
INVESTIGATION
Accredo
Healthcare, Consumer Protection
Thousands of patients depending on “specialty” pharmacy Accredo report delays, cancelled orders, surprise bills, and other problems. These practices may violate consumer-protection laws, insurance regulations, and federal mail-order pharmacy standards.
LEARN MORE
INVESTIGATION
Business Reviews
Consumer Protection
Review sites host unverified reviews and steer businesses towards pricey subscriptions for the tools needed to counter them. If your company lost revenue, you may be entitled to compensation.
LEARN MORE
INVESTIGATION
Class Action Practice Areas
Consumer Protection
Companies that hide fees, distort ads, or sell defective products break consumer-protection laws. If you paid for something under false terms, you may be entitled to compensation.
Gambling
Sports-betting and online gaming platforms lure players with misleading promos, unfair odds, and delayed payouts. If deceptive practices cost you money, you may be entitled to compensation.
Privacy/BIPA
Businesses that leak personal data, track users secretly, or harvest face and voice prints break state and federal privacy laws. If your data was taken without consent, you may be entitled to compensation.
Healthcare/PBMs
Companies that hide fees, distort ads, or sell defective products break consumer-protection laws. If you paid for something under false terms, you may be entitled to compensation.
Artificial Intelligence
AI platforms are harvesting music, art, and personal data without permission to fuel their models and profits. If your creative work or data was used, you may be entitled to compensation.
Government Accountability
Public agencies that overcharge, seize property, or trample constitutional rights can be held liable. If official misconduct harmed you or your community, you may be entitled to compensation.
