What Are Mass Torts? How Can Mass Torts Assist Me?
As opposed to a criminal act, a tort is a civil offense committed by a company or individual that leads to some kind of harm to another – whether emotional distress, physical injury, property damage, or financial loss.
Simply put, a mass tort is a tort that leads to an injury to multiple victims. In most cases, mass tort cases are associated with some kind of negligence. Below are the most common mass torts claims:
Consumer product claims
This is where several plaintiffs join hands to seek compensation for injuries they suffered as a result of a dangerous product. The product can either be dangerous toys, contaminated food, or malfunctioning car parts.
You can talk to other victims who have suffered similar injuries, hire a Maryland mass torts attorney and present a strong case before the judge or judges.
Pharmaceutical claims
Despite the rigorous testing and approval processes, some drugs may still have harmful health effects on consumers. Those affected by such drugs can move to court and seek compensation from the manufacturer or distributor. This can lead to the complete removal of that particular drug from the market.
Environmental torts
When an individual or business does something that negatively affects the environment, the consequences can be disastrous. Take for example an oil leak that contaminates a sea or ocean – it will end up the fish ecosystem, cause water pollution and affect tourism.
If several members of the public come together for the purpose of filing a lawsuit against the person or company that caused the damage, then a mass torts attorney has to request the court to allow him to file a mass tort action.
What’s the difference between mass torts and class action?
Although mass torts lawsuits and class action lawsuits both involve numerous people, there is a clear distinction between the two. In a mass tort, every plaintiff has an independent claim resulting from different damages or injuries. Besides, each plaintiff gets their own separate trials.
On the other hand, victims in a class action are not viewed as independent plaintiffs. There is only a single trial for all of them. Maryland class action lawyers can combine all the grievances of all the victims and present a single claim on behalf of the plaintiffs.
It will be upon you and your fellow victims to hire qualified and experienced Baltimore class action attorneys in order to improve your chances of winning the case.
This is different from a mass tort where a case can be transferred and pursued individually. The good news is that a lawyer from Gordon Wolf & Carney can help you in both mass tort and class action lawsuits.