Many forgo class-action payouts, expert says

Could filing claims in class-action suits be the coupon-clipping of the future for frugal consumers?

Maybe, according to an expert who told USA Today that many are eligible to file claims and yet very few do. 

“This can make a significant impact on your bottom line,” Scott Hardy, founder and chief executive officer of www.topclassactions.com, told the newspaper. "But people just ignore it because they think it’s only going to be a couple bucks.”

While the deterrent that some settlements checks amount to less than $10 or coupons for free products, large settlements do exist, he said. For example, the current Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean Telemarketing Class Action Settlement pays up to $900, according to USA Today.

"If you’re consistently submitting claims for class actions, then you’re going to consistently get big checks that are $100 or more every year,” Mr. Hardy told a reporter.