Montana residents who suffer injuries in an accident caused by a defective consumer item may take legal action to hold the manufacturer responsible by filing a product liability lawsuit. When dozens, hundreds or even thousands of consumers are injured, they could choose to join together and form a class. When a class-action lawsuit is filed, all of the claims are combined into one. This information is relevant in light of a class-action lawsuit filed against a prominent rifle manufacturer.
Remington class-action lawsuit
Remington faced a class-action product liability lawsuit over an alleged defective trigger fitted to the firm’s Model 700 rifle. The Model 700 has been sold for decades, and its trigger has been linked to unintentional discharges that have killed dozens of consumers and injured hundreds more. About 7.5 million firearms featuring the allegedly defective trigger have been sold in the United States. The models affected include the Model 700, 715, 721, 722, 725, 770, 600 and 660 rifles and the XP-100 pistol. However, only about 22,000 Remington firearm owners filed claims. The litigation was settled when the gun maker agreed to replace the triggers on millions of rifles, but the company did not admit any wrongdoing. Some gun owners say the fix has not resolved the problem while others claim that they had no issues until their triggers were replaced.
Class-action settlements
The outcomes of class-action lawsuits like the one filed over Remington rifle injuries or deaths do not always please injured consumers. While the damages awarded in these cases are sometimes high, the amount each class member receives is often modest compared to what they might have been awarded if they had pursued their own lawsuit and prevailed in court. They may also be unhappy when manufacturers are permitted to walk away from class-action lawsuits without accepting responsibility for the damage their defective products caused.
Opting out of a class action is sometimes wise
Personal injury attorneys may advise consumers who have been injured by defective products about the advantages and disadvantages of joining a class-action lawsuit. If you are weighing this decision, an attorney may recommend that you join a class action if your injuries are not severe and the costs of pursuing litigation are likely to be high. However, an attorney might advise you to opt out of a class action and pursue your own lawsuit if your injuries are more severe than other class members.