In a consumer class action lawsuit, one or more consumers sue an entity (usually a large company) on behalf of themselves and others aggrieved by the same wrongful conduct.  The individual(s) who brings the lawsuit asks the court to appoint him or her as a class representative to prosecute the case on behalf of a class of similarly situated individuals.  A class action lawsuit may be appropriate when a company has a uniform policy or practice that violates consumer rights.  By bringing a class action, a consumer can be instrumental in obtaining a class-wide remedy against a company when damages suffered by individual victims are too small to warrant individual litigation, and in changing corporate conduct that is harmful to consumers or violates their rights.  Areas where class actions may be appropriate include consumer fraud, deceptive and unfair trade practices, unfair debt collection practices, and violation of consumer protection and privacy laws including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).  Examples of ways that unscrupulous companies attempt to take advantage of consumers include false advertising of products and services, mislabeling of products, bait and switch marketing, illegal charges on bills or charges for services never provided, and unwanted robocalls.  Attorneys at Burr & Smith are experienced in handling consumer class actions.