[BobbyTables2]

The problem in large class settlements is the “damages” awarded per capita are often a trifle compared to a similar situation with a smaller set of plaintiffs.

Look at the award from Equifax data breach settlement… The CFPB fine was about $0.66 per person. The class action award averages to about $2 per person.

Could your bank plaster your personal info on a billboard for two years, but make it up to you with a nice paper cup of coffee? (How would you even prove damages?!?). Don’t get your hopes up — that coffee would be too expensive…

Would $1000 be fair for you? Multiply that by 150 million…

Same with the airbag recalls.

The problem is worse than lawyers’ cuts… Proper restitution isn’t even possible (orders of magnitude greater than company’s assets).

At the individual level, a $10k automobile can do far more damage to people and property than just $10k…

But, As a society, we often fail to punish companies that do more harm than good.