S1 • E2 Jun 26, 2016 45m
For the second time, reporter Thorsten Eppert travels to the USA for the series "Crime and Justice" in order to explore the local justice system. In focus this time: the class action lawsuit. It teaches large corporations to fear even the US. It's about billions of dollars. Sounds like consumer protection, but also has a dark side: exaggerated and sometimes absurd complaints burden economy and state. Thorsten Eppert goes to the documentation of the question of whether the class action is more blessing - or more curse. First stop: Flint, Michigan. Incredible happened here for two years. So unbelievable that Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in January. The reason: Flints tap water contains highly toxic lead. Many residents have become ill. They now fight back with several class actions. Another aspect Thorsten Eppert pursues are the horrendous lawyers' salaries. The lawyer, blogger and activist Ted Frank fight against them, because they often far exceed what the plaintiffs are awarded. Is that fair? Who really benefits from class actions? Would the class action also be a useful tool for Germany? Thorsten Eppert researches and seeks answers on his journey through the USA.
