Frivolous lawsuits have become a common problem in today's legal system. However, the courts system still does an overall good job in weeding out these frivolous cases, so that only about 3% of all civil cases filed actually make it to court. Many are thrown out, and of course, many are settled to avoid trial. While individual suits have been on the decline in the last several years, one area that has been on the rise is class action lawsuits. Attorneys specializing in class action suits have increased in order to meet the demand. Class action suits occur when a group of people combine efforts to sue the same company for the same offense. For example, many companies receive class action lawsuits for defective products. Many purchasers of these defective products sue together and split damages awarded. If you're considering suing a large company for a defective or unsafe product, it's best to check and see if there's a class action suit you can join before you file your own lawsuit.