What is a class action lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit is a legal action taken by a group of individuals who share common legal claims or interests against a defendant. This type of lawsuit allows multiple plaintiffs to combine their cases into a single action, which is especially useful when the number of affected individuals is large, such as in cases involving consumer rights, fraud, or product liability. By pooling their resources and claims, the plaintiffs can effectively seek justice and compensation without the need for each individual to file separate lawsuits, which could be impractical due to costs and legal complexity.

In contrast, the other choices present scenarios that do not accurately define a class action lawsuit. A legal action taken by a single individual against a corporation refers to a personal lawsuit rather than a class action. A focus solely on personal injury claims does not encompass the broad range of issues typically involved in class actions, which can include various types of claims beyond just personal injury. Lastly, a lawsuit filed exclusively by government entities does not characterize class actions, which are primarily initiated by private individuals seeking to represent a larger group.