A mass tort lawsuit involves many people who were harmed by the same product, drug, or action but whose cases are handled individually rather than as one single class. Mass tort cases often arise when a defective product, dangerous medication, or environmental exposure harms a large number of people.
Unlike a class action lawsuit, each person in a mass tort usually files an individual claim. The cases may be grouped together in federal court through a process called multidistrict litigation (MDL), which helps manage similar lawsuits more efficiently while still allowing each claim to be evaluated separately.
Mass tort lawsuits and class actions both involve large numbers of people who suffered similar harm. The key difference is that mass tort claims are usually handled individually, allowing each plaintiff’s damages and circumstances to be evaluated separately.
Mass tort litigation allows courts to manage large numbers of related cases efficiently while still ensuring that each person’s injuries and damages are considered. These cases can lead to settlements or verdicts that compensate victims for medical costs, lost income, and other damages.