NKD wrote on Jul 31, 2012, 23:29:
Crustacean Soup wrote on Jul 31, 2012, 23:21:
NKD wrote on Jul 31, 2012, 23:15:
Regardless of what one thinks of Valve, it's hard for an educated person to not have utter contempt for class actions. They are bad for both parties, and only good for the lawyers. You're almost always better off filing an individual claim.
It isn't as convenient as signing up on a website for a free coupon, but lawsuits are serious business and they shouldn't be convenient. You should go into them willing to put in a little time and effort. If you aren't willing, then perhaps you haven't been wronged as badly as you think.
No. I did think that way, but it's an oversimplification. Most people don't have the will, knowledge, time, or money to file their own lawsuits, especially if it's over what was (for them) a relatively small amount of damage. So what, the corporations should just be able to get away with shit with no punishment whatsoever, as long as they spread the damage around enough? You can opt out of class actions if you want to file suit yourself.
That inconvenience factor of trying to claim small amounts is why Valve and other companies want to do arbitration or small-claims in the first place. It's better for them, lawyers don't cash in, and you get pretty much the same relief you would in a class action.
You're not getting my point. It's not about the $10 I might get from Valve if I sue them (vs. the $0.25 class action settlement). I couldn't care less about that. Since I can't/won't afford to waste my time taking them to trial or arbitration over such a piddling amount, what's discouraging them from stealing my $10 in the future? A couple dozen people bothering to bring them to small claims doesn't do that. A class action representing a few hundred thousand people would. That's the
whole reason that the class action even exists.
Actually, from what I've seen, you're more likely to get full relief in arbitration or small claims than you are in a class action. Especially in this case where Valve agrees to pay arbitration costs or small-claims filing fees.
Again, if it's real damage you're always free to opt out of a class action and file a suit yourself.