Mass Tort & Class Action

Sometimes, a single lawsuit may involve multiple plaintiffs against one defendant who have been harmed by the same product, accident or environmental factors. The attorneys at Shanklin Sosa Injury Law have the experience and attention to detail to handle mass tort cases. We can pursue compensation for lost wages, medical bills and general suffering as a result of your injuries.

A mass tort is a single claim against a responsible business, corporation, or individual in state or federal court. A mass tort lawsuit involves multiple plaintiffs who have suffered injuries from the same cause, such as a defective product, unethical business practice, pharmaceutical or disaster.

Unlike class action lawsuits, mass torts often involve a smaller group of people from the same area. A mass tort is filed when individuals experience different injuries from the same cause. In a mass tort case, you are treated as an individual plaintiff that must prove how the accused party injured you.

Common types of mass tort cases include:

• Disaster: You were involved in a large-scale accident, such as a bus, plane, or train crash or a collapsed building.
• Defective product or medical device: You have been injured by a product or medical device that was originally deemed safe.
• Toxic exposure: You have been exposed to a harmful chemical in your home, school or work environment.

With a class action lawsuit, individuals who have been physically or financially injured by a company's actions or negligence sue the business as a single entity. Because these cases may involve thousands of plaintiffs in different jurisdictions, class action suits are tried in a federal legal process called multi-district litigation.

Class action lawsuits typically fall into one of four categories:

• Securities, such as investment fraud
• Personal injury or product liability
• Employment, such as workplace discrimination
• Consumer protection issues, such as fraudulent late fees

Often, a class action lawsuit is settled out of court, with each class member receiving a percentage of the settlement. A class action suit reduces litigation time and costs and ensures that plaintiffs with similar injuries are treated consistently.