I’m Tired of Stupid Class Action Lawsuits

Have you ever gotten a notice in the mail that informs you that you could be entitled to receive benefits from a class action settlement?  I recently received a card, letting me know about a class action settlement involving my lawnmower.  To be honest, I didn’t even know that I was a part of this class action lawsuit.  I didn’t even know there was a problem with my lawnmower.

This class action lawsuit had nothing to do with the product’s safety.  Neither my family nor I were in jeopardy because of our lawnmower.  This ridiculous lawsuit was over “claims that the Defendants misrepresented and overstated the horsepower of their lawnmowers and lawnmower engines.”  Although the defendants deny these claims, they did agree to settle.

In this particular class action case, the lawyers intend to collect over $14 million in fees. 

Here is the problem I have with these types of class action lawsuits – I never knew I was harmed by my lawnmower and I bet the hundreds of thousands of consumers who bought these products between January 1, 1994 and April 12, 2010 never knew they were harmed either.  It is a prime example of lawsuits gone crazy.  Cases like this one jam the court system and prevent the timely resolution of legitimate claims.

Stupid class action lawsuits are an abomination of the tort system.  Tort claims should only be made by people who have actually suffered harm and are not part of an unknown class of individuals who weren’t harmed, never once thought they were harmed and did not go out and hire an attorney to file a lawsuit.