Around the world there are class actions, both settled and ongoing, by players against their respective sports bodies for repetitive head injuries resulting in neurodegenerative disorders.  Insurers and brokers need to take note.

Class action claims against the US National Football League for concussion injuries in respect of which risk the league ignored or concealed

This recent High Court judgment warns that class action certification is not there for the mere asking.

The lengthy 125-page judgment canvases issues such as the suitability of the class representatives, commonality, funding arrangements, litigation funders, contingency fees and whether there exists a cause of action raised on a triable issue.

It is worth a

This judgement contains: a very useful review of the development of class actions in South African law; a consideration of whether to certify the particular class action on an opt-out or opt-in basis and decides that the interests of justice warranted certification of the class action on an opt-out basis.

An opt-out class action automatically

Class actions have the potential to be abused by plaintiffs, for example where a large number of claims are brought for trifling amounts and there is no public policy issue. Whether a class action for a small recovery can be pursued will be decided at the certification stage of proceedings, but by then large amounts