Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Class Action?
A class action suit may occur when many different people combine their similar complaints. This saves court time and allows a single judge to hear all the concerns at the same time, and come to one settlement for all parties. If the court agrees to certify the complaints as a class action, all class members should have equal say and rights to any monies or remedies ordered by the court.

What factors must be present to start a class action lawsuit?
There are several requirements to consider when attempting to form a new class action case. Simplified, these are:

• Numerosity - adequate number of plaintiffs
• Commonality - common damages and legal issues
• Typicality - each class member's claim must come from the same event, and must make the same legal argument
• Adequacy of Representation - the representative plaintiff will adequately protect and represent the interest of the class
• Viability of Defendant - although it is not a requirement of the court, it is reasonable to assume that if the accused does not have the means to compensate for the alleged damages and legal costs, it would be difficult to entice a law firm to represent the class.

Who pays the lawyers in a class action lawsuit?
Lawyers who represent a class for money damages are generally paid out of the recovery. Attorney fee awards are subject to court review and approval. Twenty-five percent is a typical amount, although the award may be adjusted higher or lower by the court.

Is my complaint too small for a class action?
Small complaints can lead to successful class actions. For example, a successful class action was mounted against Blockbuster Video for overcharging on late video returns.

What if my complaint is not a class action, but only applies to my problem?
OLS welcomes all types of complaints. Many cases involve personal injury or other individual cases. OLS will attempt to find you a lawyer no matter what your case is.

What happens to my registration?
If you have registered for a pending class action, your information is forwarded to one of the law firms handling the case. In most cases, your registration is not a requirement to be a part of a pending class action, as you are automatically part of the case if you fit the class description, and must "opt-out" if you do not want to participate. Submitting a registration on this site does not imply communication with an attorney handling a pending class action.

Please note: if the information you fill in on the form for a pending class action does not match the description of the class, it will not be forwarded to the law firm handling that particular action. We will, however try to find a lawyer to review your complaint.

If you are registering a complaint for a possible class action or an individual case, your registration may be forwarded to one or more attorneys. An attorney will contact you only if they are able to pursue your case, or if they need additional information.

Please note: there is no attorney-client confidentiality implied when you submit a registration to Online Legal Services Ltd.

Can I change my registration?
If you want to change or update anything you have sent us, use our Contact Form. Please include your name and case number.