Mass Tort

In legal terms, a "mass tort" refers to a civil action where multiple plaintiffs have sustained similar injuries or damages from the same harmful act or product. These cases allow numerous plaintiffs, often from different locations, to consolidate their claims against one or more defendants.

1. Similar Injuries or Damages: Plaintiffs share common issues related to injuries or economic losses caused by a specific defendant or group of defendants.
2. Common Questions of Fact or Law: Mass torts involve shared legal or factual questions applicable to all cases, making consolidation efficient for pretrial proceedings.
3. Centralized Proceedings: While each case remains distinct, certain aspects like discovery, evidence gathering, and legal arguments may be consolidated for efficiency. This is often managed through mechanisms like multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the U.S.
4. Efficiency and Judicial Economy: Designed to handle large volumes of similar cases efficiently, mass torts allow the legal system to manage numerous claims more effectively than individual trials.
5. Coordinated Settlements: Defendants in mass torts may negotiate global settlements to resolve claims collectively, simplifying the resolution process.

• Pharmaceutical Litigation: Cases involving harmful side effects from prescription drugs or medical devices.
• Product Liability: Claims arising from defects in consumer goods causing widespread harm.
• Environmental Disasters: Litigation stemming from incidents like oil spills, chemical leaks, or environmental contamination.
• Toxic Torts: Cases involving exposure to hazardous substances leading to health issues for many individuals.