If you were the victim of wrongdoing, seek out a lawyer to help file a civil lawsuit. From handling the investigation to negotiating a settlement, an attorney will work to get compensation for your recovery. For a better idea of which type of claim you should file, below is a brief overview of how civil and class action lawsuits differ. 

Civil Lawsuits Are Filed by Individuals

With a civil lawsuit, a plaintiff holds a defendant liable for negligence that led to a personal injury. The defendant can be an individual, business, or entity.

When someone gets hurt in a car accident, for example, a personal injury attorney would help file a civil lawsuit against the driver(s) responsible for the collision. In the case of a botched surgery, a civil litigation lawyer will help file a medical malpractice claim. Beyond personal injuries, civil suits are filed for breach of contract, property disputes, and emotional distress. 

Preponderance of evidence is the standard of proof used in civil lawsuits. This means the plaintiff’s lawyer presents facts that prove their client’s version of events is most likely true. If the plaintiff wins the case, they could be awarded compensatory damages to cover income, medical bills, and other financial losses.

General damages is money awarded for mental anguish due to the incident. Punitive damages might also be sought when the court wishes to punish the defendant for their actions if they were exceptionally damaging to the plaintiff. 

Class-Action Lawsuits Have Several Plaintiffs

In investigating your case, a lawyer might find numerous people are the victim of the same person, business, or entity’s wrongdoing. When this happens, all victims would band together to file a type of civil claim known as a class-action lawsuit against the same defendant. If multiple people were injured by the same product defect, for example, they would file a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturer. A few of the plaintiffs act as representatives for the group, while the others are notified when a settlement is reached.

If you want to take legal action to recover from wrongdoing, contact Jerry F. Lee Attorney at Law. Based in Cleveland, GA, this lawyer has nearly 40 years of experience handling civil suits, criminal cases, and child custody matters. Get a detailed overview of his practice areas online and call (706) 219-2460 to set up the meeting with the civil litigation and criminal defense attorney.