What is a class action personal injury lawsuit and can I join one?

A class action lawsuit is a legal proceeding in which a large number of people who suffered similar harm from the same defendant bring a collective action, with representative plaintiffs suing on behalf of the entire group (the "class"). Class actions arise in personal injury when a common defendant (a pharmaceutical company, product manufacturer, or corporation) causes the same type of harm to many people. They allow claims that would be too small to pursue individually to be combined into a single viable case, and they create substantial leverage against large corporate defendants. To join a class action, you typically receive notice (by mail or publication) that a class has been certified. You generally have the right to opt out of the class and pursue your own individual claim if your specific damages are larger than what the class settlement would provide. Class action settlements are distributed among all class members, often resulting in modest individual payments. If you suffered significant individual injuries from the defendant's conduct, an individual lawsuit may produce far greater recovery than participation in a class action.