Search Site
Menu
Medical Class Actions

Diligent St. Louis Medical Malpractice Lawyer Assisting with Class Action Lawsuits

Advocating for patient rights when multiple parties are harmed in Missouri

When a medical doctor, hospital policy, dangerous pharmaceutical or defective product causes harm to multiple patients, the case may be well-suited for a class action medical malpractice lawsuit. Based on 25 years of experience, the Guirl Law Firm considers whether you may benefit by filing as a class instead of as a sole plaintiff.

Benefits of filing as a class

Filing your medical malpractice lawsuit as a class may have several advantages, including:

  • Increased efficiency — Because each action of discovery usually occurs only once, filing as a class speeds up the judicial process
  • Reduced costs — Plaintiffs share the litigation expenses paid from their successful damages award
  • Preventing future harm — Filing as a class raises awareness and response to harmful medical practices and typically has a more profound effect on the future conduct of the negligent medical professionals than if you filed as a sole plaintiff
  • Greater likelihood of collecting damages — If multiple plaintiffs file independently against the same medical professionals or health care facilities, the funds could be depleted before you have had the opportunity to collect on a successful damages award won in a single lawsuit

Seeking class certification by the St. Louis courts

To initiate a class action, we must first obtain permission from the court to certify the plaintiffs as a class. For the court to issue certification, the cases must meet these prerequisites:

  • There are so many plaintiffs that uniting all the claims would be more practical
  • All of the claims have legal issues and facts in common
  • Claims made by the representative parties reflect those made by the members of the class
  • The representative plaintiffs will protect the interests of the class of plaintiffs

The court issues an order that certifies the class and defines membership, claims, issues and defenses. All reasonably identifiable members are notified regarding the nature of the action and given specific instructions about joining the class or requesting exclusion.

Joining or excluding yourself from a class

Whether to opt into or opt out of a class action lawsuit is an important decision. By joining the class, you agree to accept the actions taken by the appointed counsel and to be bound by the outcome of the lawsuit. You also waive your right to later file your own claim against the defendants. If you receive notice from the court about a class action, consult with the Guirl Law Firm about your rights. We can review the details of your claim and guide you in making the right choice.

Let our St. Louis lawyer advise you about your rights in a medical malpractice class action lawsuit

To learn more about filing a medical malpractice class action claim, call the Guirl Law Firm on our 24-hour toll-free hotline 314-391-2585 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation.

 

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Contact us

Please fill out the form below and one of our attorneys will contact you.

Quick Contact Form

Case: Medical Malpractice: Anoxic Brain Injury
Results: Settlement: $2,000,000.00
Case: Personal Injury: Truck/Motor Vehicle
Results: Settlement: 1,000,000.00 (policy limits)
Case: Medical Malpractice: Childbirth/Shoulder Dystocia
Results: Jury Verdict: $840,000.00

>>MORE RESULTS