Method and System for Filing and Monitoring Electronic Claim Submissions in Multi-Claimant Lawsuits

Abstract

The invention relates to systems and methods for filing and monitoring electronic claim submissions in proceedings involving a large number of claimants, such as securities class action lawsuits, estate dissolutions, arbitrations, and bankruptcies. The systems and methods create an easy-to-use and convenient way for institutions and individual claimants to register their claim relief upon judgment or settlement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for filing and monitoring electronic claim submissions via a computer server in a multi-claimant proceeding comprising:
 receiving a registration request from an institution on a computer server;   registering the institution on the computer server to create an institutional database record, the institution having a primary institutional contact;   receiving information from the institution via the primary institutional contact regarding a plurality of claimants, each claimant having at least one associated claim, and storing the information regarding the plurality of claimants and the associated claims on a database operably associated with the computer server;   receiving files supporting each of the claims associated with the plurality of claimants on the computer server; and   storing the files supporting each of the claims associated with the plurality of claimants in the database operably associated with the computer server.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically transmitting a message containing a request for acceptance of the institution to one or more designated individuals on an approval team. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising accepting the institution. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the message includes the institutional database record. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising validating the primary institutional contact. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising allowing the validated primary institutional contact to monitor the status of each of the plurality of claimants' at least one associated claim. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising allowing the validated primary institutional contact to edit the status of each of the plurality of claimants' at least one associated claim. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising allowing the validated primary institutional contact to delete a claim, hold a claim or accept a claim. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the computer server transmitting messages to the primary institutional contact, if a claim is deficient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the computer server includes a transient server located between a first and a second firewall, and further comprises:
 uploading the files to the transient server,   storing the uploaded files on the transient database,   scanning the uploaded files for malicious code prior to uploading to an internal server through the second firewall, and   storing the uploaded files on an internal database.   
     
     
         11 . A system for filing and monitoring electronic claim submissions via a computer server in a multi-claimant proceeding comprising:
 a user interface hosted by the computer server directed to institutions and a primary institutional contact across a publicly-accessible computer network for displaying information about a multi-claimant proceeding and facilitating inputting of information regarding institutions and a plurality of claimants, each claimant having at least one associated claim, and facilitating uploading of files by the institution via the primary institutional;   a first database operably connected to the user interface; and   code located on the computer server for associating pointers with uploaded files supporting each of the claims associated with the plurality of claimants.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 anti-virus code located on the computer server for scanning the uploaded files for malicious code by following the respective pointers allowing each of the files to be scanned by the anti-virus software for malicious code after being uploaded to the computer server.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer server includes a transient server operably connected to a transient database, both located between a first and a second firewall, and an internal server operably connected to an internal database behind the second firewall. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the anti-virus code scans the files while they reside on the transient database, further comprising code for sweeping scanned files from the transient database operably through the second firewall to the internal database. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising code to accept a registering institution and validate a primary institutional contact. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising code allowing the validated primary institutional contact to monitor or edit the status of each of the claims associated with the plurality of claimants. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising code that facilitates sending messages to the primary institutional contact relating to deficient claims. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising code for automatically transmitting a message for acceptance of the institution to one or more designated individuals on an approval team. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the message contains an institutional database record. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the associated claims is based upon multiple transactions.