# Class Action

> A lawsuit where one or more plaintiffs represent a larger group (class) of people with similar claims against the same defendant.

**Category:** Legal Procedure
**Canonical URL:** https://drugsmonitor.com/glossary/class-action
**Last updated:** 2026-06-11

In a class action, the court certifies a class of plaintiffs who share common questions of law or fact. A judgment or settlement binds all class members who do not opt out, unlike mass torts where each case remains individual.

Class actions are common in securities fraud, consumer protection, and employment cases but less common in pharmaceutical personal injury cases because individual medical differences make commonality difficult to establish.

Some pharmaceutical cases combine class action treatment for certain issues (like consumer protection claims or medical monitoring) with mass tort treatment for personal injury claims. Your attorney can explain which structure applies to your case.

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*Glossary entry from DrugsMonitor.com.*