Mass tort lawsuits allow many plaintiffs harmed in similar circumstances to seek justice as a group. The primary benefit of joining a mass tort lawsuit is that, when the lawsuit concludes, you may receive compensation for a range of damages the defendant has caused you.
Mass tort lawsuits have several other benefits that relate to how long it takes to get justice for plaintiffs, the total legal cost to plaintiffs, and the resources available to the plaintiffs’ cases. You can hire your mass tort lawyer, and you may need to if you wish to get justice for the harm the defendant has caused you.
Benefits of Being Part of a Mass Tort Lawsuit
Joining a mass tort lawsuit can offer several advantages. Here are some key benefits:
These benefits highlight why being part of a mass tort can be advantageous. Read the full article to explore each benefit in detail and understand how it can impact your legal journey.
Who Should Consider Joining a Mass Tort Lawsuit?
Those who become plaintiffs in mass tort lawsuits may:
- Have one or more injuries
- Have developed an illness
- Have lost a loved one from injury or illness
Every plaintiff in a mass tort lawsuit has suffered harm of some kind, and that harm typically falls into one of the three categories listed above. There is another common theme among plaintiffs in mass tort lawsuits: These outcomes have happened because of a person or organization’s negligence.
Negligence Is a Common Theme in Mass Tort Cases
An individual or institution is negligent if:
- They owe someone a duty of care, which means the person or organization must act reasonably
- They breach their duty of care by acting in an unreasonable fashion
- The breach of duty of care results in harm to one or more parties
- The parties who suffer harm can prove their damages
If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered harm because of the negligence of a person or organization, speak with a personal injury lawyer. They will explain whether joining a mass tort makes sense or whether you have other legal options that are more viable.
Mass Tort Lawsuits Involve Many Plaintiffs with Similar Circumstances
Mass tort lawsuits are unique because they involve many people who have suffered harm under similar circumstances. Rather than a motorist suing another motorist because they caused an accident, these cases often involve victims of large corporations whose reach touches thousands, millions, or even billions of people.
The fact that mass tort lawsuits involve other plaintiffs facing circumstances like yours means:
- Your case may be stronger because other plaintiffs can also provide testimony about the defendants’ negligence
- Legal proceedings may already be underway, which can provide a straightforward path for you to join
- Those responsible for your damages will have to address the mounting claims against them, as mass tort actions are impossible to ignore
Mass tort lawsuits often have eligibility criteria. Your lawyer will document your story and ensure you join any mass tort lawsuit for which you are eligible.
What Is the Point of a Mass Tort Lawsuit?
The purpose of any mass tort lawsuit is the same as that of most lawsuits involving injury, illness, or wrongful death. By filing your lawsuit (and other plaintiffs filing theirs), you and your lawyer aim to:
- Hold liable parties accountable for endangering (and ultimately harming) innocent people: When injustice happens, it is essential that justice is done. It is especially true when injustice causes injury, illness, and the loss of life. A mass tort lawsuit is one of the primary ways we hold negligent parties accountable.
- Discourage defendants and others from engaging in such negligent behavior in the future: A significant reason for a mass tort lawsuit is to prevent similar instances of negligence in the future. While negligence will always occur, a significant settlement or verdict can discourage the specific type of negligence that led to the suit.
- Obtain compensation for out-of-pocket costs and other financial losses: When awarding a verdict or negotiating a settlement, the direct financial cost of the defendant’s negligence is a key focus. Your attorney will work to ensure that you receive fair compensation for your economic damages, such as medical bills and lost earning power.
- Compensate you for the non-economic effects of defendants’ negligence: Many, if not most, mass tort cases involve non-economic damages. Plaintiffs must receive fair compensation for the emotional anguish, psychological distress, and other types of pain and suffering they have endured because of the defendant’s negligence.
There may be other damages you can pursue in a mass tort lawsuit, but these are a few primary reasons why you may sue those who have harmed you.
Benefits of Being Part of a Mass Tort Lawsuit
As a potential plaintiff in a mass tort lawsuit, you should know the benefits of this specific type of litigation. Some of the reasons why mass torts exist for the plaintiff’s benefit include:
You Do Not Bear All the Legal Costs
Because multiple plaintiffs are involved in mass tort lawsuits, the plaintiffs share the cost of legal representation. As an added benefit, plaintiffs’ lawyers typically work for contingency fees, meaning the attorneys only receive their fees if their client receives money from a settlement or verdict.
Justice May Be Done Sooner by Consolidating Plaintiffs Into a Mass Tort
The courts, plaintiffs, and lawyers can all benefit from consolidating cases through a mass tort lawsuit. Pooling cases means:
- Rather than each plaintiff having an individual case, all plaintiffs are represented in a single legal action.
- The legal action takes place in the same legal venue rather than having plaintiffs in different legal jurisdictions handle their cases in those locales.
- One court operating under a single set of rules facilitates the case, rather than courts with different rules and laws handling individual cases (which can lead to many complications).
- Mass tort cases take far less time than if each plaintiff had to make their case individually.
Because mass torts simplify the legal process, plaintiffs may get justice far sooner than they otherwise would.
The Might of Several Lawyers Combine Into a Single Mass Tort
Lawyers representing plaintiffs in mass tort cases can collaborate. Together, these lawyers may be known as the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee. Such collaboration between plaintiffs’ attorneys means:
- Rather than receiving the benefits only their lawyer provides, a plaintiff in a mass tort lawsuit also gets the unique benefits of other plaintiffs’ attorneys.
- Lawyers may have stronger arguments and legal strategies because they draw from multiple lawyers’ experience, skill, and intellect.
- Lawyers can pool their resources, further strengthening the case.
The phrase “power in numbers” applies perfectly to mass tort lawsuits.
Your Unique Story Gets Recognized
In mass tort cases, the story of each co-plaintiff is considered. This is unlike class action lawsuits, where plaintiffs are treated as a single class.
Because your unique circumstances will be featured in the mass tort lawsuit, it means:
- You will have the opportunity to tell your story, which is crucial to many plaintiffs who want to hold defendants accountable for the harm they have suffered.
- Any compensation you receive from a settlement or verdict should be fair, as payments are paid based on each plaintiff’s circumstances.
If you hire an experienced and competent lawyer, they will ensure that other lawyers, the court, and any jury involved in your case hear your story. Perhaps most importantly, your attorney will prove the damages you suffered because of the defendant’s negligence.
There Will Be No Contradictory Verdicts
If every plaintiff in a mass tort lawsuit instead led individual cases, different cases might lead to different rulings. It can create a series of contradictions that will:
- Significantly complicate the legal process.
- Potentially give the defendant the argument that if one court rules in their favor, other rulings against them are not valid.
- Increase the cost of legal services to plaintiffs.
- Increase the court resources required to resolve the legal matter(s).
The possibility of such contradictory verdicts (and related challenges) is eliminated by consolidating all similar cases into a single mass tort.
Those Who Cause Many People Harm Can Be Held Accountable
The greatest benefit of a mass tort lawsuit is that victims of negligence can get justice. While this is not a given, plaintiffs’ attorneys work hard to ensure that justice is done. If they succeed, lawyers deliver fair compensation to their clients.
Examples of Mass Tort Lawsuits
So you have a better idea of what a mass tort is, consider some recent examples of mass tort litigation:
Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune is a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. Authorities discovered that tainted water at the base had exposed Marines, their families, and others to a heightened risk of serious illness, including multiple types of cancer.
Mass tort attorneys have sought compensation for those who may have become sick or those who lost loved ones because of the unsafe water at Camp Lejeune.
Roundup
The herbicide Roundup, also known as glyphosate, has proven dangerous. A product marketed to the public for decades without adequate warnings, Roundup exposure is a particularly acute hazard to agricultural workers and others who worked with large amounts of the pest-killing liquid.
Talcum Powder
In a particularly egregious case, Johnson & Johnson faced allegations that baby powder containing talcum powder may have exposed countless people (including babies) to a heightened cancer risk.
These are three examples of high-profile mass torts, but not every case makes headlines. If you believe you have suffered adverse consequences—namely an injury, illness, or wrongful death—contact a lawyer today. You may be eligible to join a mass tort.
How Can I Join a Mass Tort?
Speaking with a lawyer is the most efficient way to join a mass tort. If you are not a lawyer, you may:
- Be unable to recognize whether you have grounds for legal action at all
- Struggle to identify ongoing or upcoming mass torts that you are eligible to join
- Have difficulty determining if you are eligible to join specific mass torts
- Not be familiar with the legal procedures necessary to join a mass tort
If you are eligible to join a mass tort, you likely do not want to lead your own case. Instead, you can harness the power of your lawyer and other plaintiffs’ attorneys. Let an experienced legal counselor fight for the compensation you deserve.
How Will a Mass Tort Attorney Help Me?
Your attorney will take control of your case. You can continue to focus on your personal life, health, and other concerns because your lawyer will:
File Your Lawsuit
Plaintiffs in mass tort cases file their lawsuits as individuals. The courts consider these cases collectively, but you still need to file a suit (and likely do so by a specific deadline). Your lawyer will ensure your case gets filed quickly and accurately.
Tell Your Story in the Context of the Lawsuit
Your lawyer is responsible for communicating the following:
- What the defendant did to harm you.
- Any injuries or illnesses you have suffered because of the defendant’s negligence.
- The specific damages you have suffered because of the defendant’s negligence.
Your lawyer will tell your story and work to ensure you get the justice you deserve.
Oversee the Mass Tort Litigation
Your lawyer may be working with multiple other lawyers as part of the mass tort. Trust your experienced mass tort attorney to serve as your representative throughout the process.
Your lawyer will update you regularly as the mass tort litigation moves forward.
Advise You Throughout the Legal Process
You may have to take certain steps throughout the legal process, like reviewing settlement terms. Your attorney will guide you through every step in your case.
Damages Common to a Mass Tort Lawsuit
Though each case is different and each plaintiff is unique, damages you may seek compensation for include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- The cost of mental health services
- All other economic and non-economic damages the defendant has caused you
Your lawyer must identify every damage you deserve compensation for, then use mass tort litigation to secure that compensation.
Hire Your Mass Tort Lawyer as Soon as Possible
Most legal matters come with deadlines. Don’t wait to find and hire a skilled mass tort attorney. Remember, time is of the essence, so don’t wait to hire a skilled attorney who will fight for your rights.
