When corporate wrongdoing affects a large group of people — think hidden fees on a bill or a data breach exposing your personal info — there’s strength in numbers. But these days, that strength doesn’t always come in the form of a class action.

That’s because many companies bury class action waivers in the Terms & Conditions (T&Cs – and may go by other names, such as Terms of Use or Terms of Service) that they require customers to accept to access their webpages and purchase their services. So when you buy or use these companies’ products and services, your acceptance of their T&Cs often means that you have (knowingly or not) agreed to waive your right to participate in a class action lawsuit or to bring a lawsuit in a traditional public court.

Instead, you agree to settle any disputes with the company through private arbitration. These arbitration provisions are often accompanied by additional steps and restrictions, all spelled out deep in the T&Cs’ fine print. And it’s all generally legal and binding on the consumer. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld this practice in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion (2011), cementing corporations’ ability to block class actions and lawsuits in public courts through their T&Cs’ fine print.

Here’s the problem: for issues like junk fees, overcharges, or data privacy violations, filing a single arbitration claim just isn’t worth the effort or cost. For most people, the lemon isn’t worth the squeeze. That is, unless thousands of people act at once.

That’s where mass arbitration comes in, as a way for individuals to file their separate arbitration claims, but in a coordinated manner. It levels the playing field, makes it financially viable to pursue small-but-real harms, and holds corporations accountable in a way that individual action often cannot.

⚖️ Mass Arbitration vs. Class Action: What’s the Difference?

What Is a Class Action, Anyway?

You’ve probably been part of a class action without even realizing it. Maybe you got an unexpected deposit from the Cash App lawsuit, or $30 Venmo from the T-Mobile data breach settlement. That’s the class action route.

In a class action, one or a few representative people file a case on behalf of an entire group — often thousands or even millions of people who were harmed in a similar way. It can especially help to make  the process more efficient when:

• Everyone was affected in essentially the same way

• The harm was relatively small

• It wouldn’t make financial sense to file thousands of individual lawsuits

But here’s the tradeoff: A class representative and a single legal team decide how the case unfolds and you typically have less say. A class action case filed in a court with a full docket can take months or years to make its way through the numerous standard required steps that require the judge to make a ruling – including any settlement, even if both sides are fully prepared to agree to a solution. And when that payout finally shows up? It’s often a couple of bucks, or maybe a few months of free credit monitoring.

Now imagine an alternative — one where your payout is based on your specific harm, not just divided equally among everyone. That’s where mass action comes into play – and if the corporation has imposed T&Cs that require any legal disputes to be resolved through private arbitration, then you can seek justice through mass action’s cousin, mass arbitration. 

Let’s Dig Into Mass Arbitration

Mass arbitration is a legal strategy that combines the power of a group with the control of an individual claim. And it is possible even if the corporation responsible for causing harm has cut off its consumers’ access to traditional courts through its T&Cs. Instead of one big lawsuit or arbitration claim representing everyone, each person sends their own individual arbitration demand, but in coordination against the same company, for the same type of harm (think hidden fees, deceptive billing, faulty products, or data breaches).

In a mass arbitration, you stay in control. You decide whether to settle, negotiate, or push forward, and your compensation is more closely tailored to your unique harm.

But these cases only work when hundreds or thousands of people act together. Seeking compensation for corporate wrongdoing through an individual arbitration claim is time-consuming, requires legal expertise, and is easy for corporations to brush off. Done at scale and with effective coordination, lawyers who know how to effectively navigate the world of arbitration can create pressure and accountability.

That’s where Chariot Claims and our network of expert law firms come in. We find people who’ve experienced the same harm, handle the heavy lifting of engaging in arbitration, and make it possible for everyday people to pursue real compensation together.

Here’s how it works:

1. Discover Your Claims: Answer a few quick questions to see if you qualify.

2. We Handle Everything for You: We help you send and file your claim and deal with lawyers if needed. Track your case anytime through your Chariot Claims dashboard.

   • We handle all the paperwork for you.

   • If needed, we find the best lawyer for your claim, to maximize your payout.

   • We keep you updated the whole way.

3. Get Your Payout: Mass arbitration claims can take 6–18+ months. When the claims get paid out, we make sure you get your share.

   • Secure payouts delivered to your account.

   • Choose your preferred payment method.

TL;DR — Why Mass Arbitration Might Work for You

Class actions can be powerful tools for systemic change. But when it comes to getting what you’re owed, mass arbitration can give you more control, compensation tailored to your specific harm, faster results, and better representation.

But to do it effectively, it takes scale, operational infrastructure, and legal expertise, which is why we built Chariot Claims. We imagine a future where fairness is the norm, not the exception. Where you, me, and every person has a champion to fight for us, for what’s rightfully ours. Where no corporate misconduct goes unchecked — and no dollar goes unclaimed.

Ready to See If You Qualify?

Discover active cases and check if you’re owed money in minutes from corporations that violated your rights. Chariot Claims handles the entire process for you, ensuring you get the compensation you deserve.

👉 Check your eligibility at app.chariotclaims.com ›