A survey shows that most consumers favor class action lawsuits, but are skeptical of the effects of large monetary awards to plaintiffs, including their effect on the cost of insurance and on the number of uninsured people. The study was released Jan. 31, 2001, by a group opposing class action liability lawsuits against insurers, manufacturers, and tobacco companies.
Class action lawsuits are legal actions filed by an individual or a small group on behalf of a larger group who share an interest in an alleged wrongdoing by a corporation.
The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) surveyed 601 Connecticut registered voters about their attitudes toward class action lawsuits, including the issues of attorney contingency fees, the number of such lawsuits brought against corporations, and the large punitive damage awards made in some class action lawsuits.
