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If a defect or unfair practice is affecting many car owners the same way you’ve been affected, a class action may be one path forward. But it isn’t always the best one. Sometimes you’re entitled to significantly more by filing your own individual claim.
Your car has a problem. Turns out thousands of other owners have the exact same one, and the manufacturer knew about it. That’s where a class action comes in. Instead of every affected owner filing separately, the group takes on the manufacturer together: one case, one defendant, thousands of people with the same problem.
Class actions are typically used in two situations: when your individual loss is too small to pursue alone but the total harm is significant, or when a manufacturer quietly hid a known defect across a model year and most owners don’t even realize they have a claim yet.
If your car is the subject of a class action, the most important question isn’t should I join. It’s am I better off filing my own claim instead.
A class settlement gets divided among potentially thousands or millions of class members. If your individual loss is substantial, filing your own case under California lemon law or dealer fraud statutes may recover significantly more than your share of a class settlement. If you receive a class action notice, don’t assume joining is the best path. See lemon law → See dealer fraud →
Class action notices arrive by mail or email and typically give you three options. The deadlines are firm: once a deadline passes, the option attached to it is gone.
The default. Do nothing and you’re a class member, bound by the outcome and sharing in any settlement.
Remove yourself from the class and preserve the right to file your own case.
Stay in the class but tell the court the proposed settlement isn’t good enough.
We’ve represented California consumers in both individual claims and class action cases, which means we can give you an honest read on which path is right for you.
Focused exclusively on automotive law. Lemon law, dealer fraud, and automotive class actions are all we do. Our focus is evident in our results.
20 years against manufacturers and dealers. They have strong legal teams, but we’ve been outmatching them for two decades, and they know it.
$400M+ recovered across 6,000+ cases. Manufacturers don’t pay fairly without a fight, and we know how to make them.
In-house inspection capability. The Margarian Garage lets us physically inspect and document your defect before we file, giving us evidence most firms simply don’t have.
A lawsuit brought by one or more people on behalf of a larger group who were all harmed by the same conduct in the same way. The class proceeds together against a common defendant instead of everyone filing separately.
It depends on your case. In some situations, an individual claim under California lemon law or dealer fraud statutes recovers significantly more than a class action share. In others, joining the class is the only realistic option. Have your situation reviewed before any deadline runs.
Class members typically don’t pay attorney fees out of pocket. In a successful class action, fees are paid from the settlement fund or by the defendant, subject to court approval.
Yes, before the deadline in the class notice. Opting out preserves your right to file your own case. Once the deadline passes, that option is gone.
Often longer than individual cases, sometimes several years from filing to settlement. Timelines depend on complexity, the number of class members, and whether it goes to trial.
If you’ve received a class action notice, suspect a defect is affecting many consumers, or want to know whether an individual claim makes more sense, our attorneys are here to help. A free case review is easy. Call (818) 553-1000.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its individual merits. Outcomes vary based on the specific facts, the defendant, the class definition, and the court overseeing the case. Class action participation involves trade-offs that should be evaluated against your specific situation before any deadline runs.
