Mass tort cases pit injured people against the biggest companies on earth: drug makers, device makers, chemical giants and Big Tech. They count on you not understanding your rights. This page changes that.
What is a mass tort?
A mass tort is a civil lawsuit brought by many injured people against one or a few corporations whose product or conduct harmed them all. “Tort” means a civil wrong that causes injury. “Mass” means the same wrong hurt a lot of people.
The key point: in a mass tort, every injured person keeps their own case. You are not a number in a crowd. Your injuries, your medical history and your losses are valued on their own.
Why cases are grouped: when hundreds or thousands of similar lawsuits are filed in federal court, a panel of judges can send them all to one judge. This is called an MDL, or multidistrict litigation. Many states, including New York and New Jersey, have their own coordinated proceedings for the same purpose. The injured side pools its firepower, sharing the huge cost of discovery, experts and science against the corporation, while your claim stays yours.
Common sources of mass torts:
- Dangerous drugs, prescription and over-the-counter
- Defective medical devices and implants
- Toxic chemicals and environmental contamination
- Unsafe consumer products, apps and platforms
- Corporate misconduct that hurt large groups of people, such as opioid marketing
Mass tort vs. class action vs. single-event injury
All three seek money for harm. They differ in who is in the case, who controls it, and how the money is divided.
| Single-event personal injury | Class action | Mass tort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who sues | One person or family | A few “class representatives” sue for everyone | Each injured person files their own case |
| Typical harm | One event: car crash, fall, truck wreck, malpractice | Small, nearly identical losses to huge numbers of people | Serious, different injuries from the same product or conduct |
| Court approval to proceed as a group | Not needed | Required: the judge must “certify” the class | Not needed; cases are coordinated (MDL or state proceeding) |
| Your control | Full: you and your lawyer run it | Very little: class lawyers decide | High: your own lawyer, your own claim |
| How damages are set | By your injuries | One pot split by a formula, often small per person | Individually, by your injuries, treatment and losses |
| Settlement | You accept or reject | Court approves one deal; you are bound unless you opt out | Often a settlement program, but each claim is scored and each client decides |
| Trials | Your own trial | Usually none, or one for the whole class | “Bellwether” test trials, then other cases can go to trial |
Bottom line: if you were seriously hurt, a class action can shortchange you by lumping you in with everyone else. A mass tort keeps your case, and your recovery, your own.
How each type of case moves
- Injury and treatment
- Free consultation, retainer signed
- Investigation and records
- Claim to the insurer
- Lawsuit filed if no fair offer
- Discovery and depositions
- Mediation or settlement talks
- Trial and verdict
- Payment and liens resolved
- Widespread, similar harm found
- Lawsuit by class representatives
- Class certification, the make-or-break step
- Notice to all class members
- Members may opt out
- Discovery run by class lawyers
- Global settlement and fairness hearing
- Payment by formula
- Science or a recall reveals the harm
- Individual cases filed nationwide
- Cases grouped in an MDL or state proceeding
- Court appoints plaintiffs’ leadership
- Each client submits records and proof
- Company documents and executives examined
- Expert challenges on the science
- Bellwether test trials
- Verdicts create pressure to settle
- Each claim reviewed and valued
- Unresolved cases sent back for trial
- Payment and liens resolved
The bellwether trials are where the fight is won. Corporations pay when they fear the jury. Firms ready to try cases get results.
Real-world examples
One accident, one injured person: a car or truck crash, a construction or scaffold fall, a slip-and-fall on a broken sidewalk, medical malpractice, a dog bite, nursing home neglect of one resident.
A company overcharging millions of customers a few dollars each, a data breach, securities fraud against shareholders, false product labels, wage violations for a whole workforce.
Dangerous drugs, defective medical devices, toxic chemicals, and apps and platforms designed to hook kids. See the active cases below.
Major mass torts: drugs, devices and chemicals
| Litigation | Alleged injury | Where it stands (Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| J&J talcum powder | Ovarian cancer, mesothelioma | Largest active federal MDL, about 68,900 cases; a proposed $5.5 billion ovarian cancer settlement was announced July 27, 2026, not yet final |
| Depo-Provera | Meningioma brain tumors | About 6,300 cases; global settlement in principle reached June 15, 2026 |
| GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) | Gastroparesis and other digestive injuries; vision loss (NAION) | Growing federal dockets |
| Chemical hair relaxers | Uterine and ovarian cancer | Roughly 11,000 cases; key expert rulings in 2026 |
| AFFF firefighting foam (PFAS) | Kidney, testicular and other cancers | In pretrial |
| Purdue Pharma / opioids | Addiction, overdose deaths | $7.4 billion settlement took effect May 1, 2026. Adam Thompson represented injured clients. |
| Roundup | Non-Hodgkin lymphoma | More than $10 billion paid since 2020. Adam Thompson represented injured clients. |
| Philips CPAP, Bard hernia mesh | Device injuries | In the payout phase |
The new Goliaths: Big Tech, gaming, gambling and abuse
| Litigation | Alleged harm | Where it stands (Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Social media addiction (Meta, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat) | Youth depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental-health harm | First trial: a Los Angeles jury returned a $6 million verdict against Meta and YouTube on March 25, 2026; more trials set for October 28, 2026 |
| Roblox child exploitation | Children groomed and exploited by predators met on the platform | More than 180 federal cases; a settlement master has been appointed; at least ten states have sued |
| Video game addiction (Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, Call of Duty) | Gaming disorder and related harm in kids and young adults | 100+ cases coordinated in Los Angeles state court; no settlement yet |
| Sports betting addiction (DraftKings, FanDuel and others) | Gambling disorder and financial ruin | Early stage: individual lawsuits in several states |
| Uber sexual assault | Passengers assaulted by drivers | About 4,400 federal cases after the first bellwether verdicts |
Case status is summarized from public sources, including MDL Update and ConsumerNotice, and changes often.
The greater good
A mass tort is more than compensation. When injured people fight back together, dangerous products come off the shelves, warning labels get rewritten and reckless practices end, so the next family never gets hurt.
Opioid settlements send billions to addiction treatment and recovery nationwide.
Glyphosate came out of the Roundup sold for home use.
Talc baby powder came off U.S. shelves after thousands of lawsuits.
The FDA added a brain-tumor warning to Depo-Provera.
Millions of Philips breathing machines were recalled and replaced.
Courts and states are pushing social media companies to make youth-safety changes.
How lawyers get paid
No fee unless we win. You pay nothing up front and no hourly bills. The fee is a percentage of what we recover for you. If there is no recovery, there is no attorney’s fee. We take the risk; the corporation feels the pressure.
The percentage. Mass tort fees are commonly 40% of the recovery. In some states, and in many individual injury cases, one-third is typical. The fee is taken off the top of the total recovery, and case expenses are repaid after that. Mass tort fees run higher because these cases take years, cost millions in experts and discovery, and the firm carries all the risk.
Every state is different, and we tell you up front. Before you sign anything, we check the rules in your state, and your written retainer spells out the exact percentage, how it is calculated, how expenses are handled, and whether you owe any expenses if there is no recovery. No surprises.
Case expenses are different from fees. Expenses include filing fees, medical records, expert witnesses and depositions. We advance them, and they are repaid from the recovery.
Common benefit assessment. In an MDL, the judge may set aside a small percentage to pay the lead lawyers who did the shared work for everyone. The court’s order decides how it is handled.
Liens. Health insurers, Medicare and Medicaid may have a right to be repaid for injury-related treatment. We negotiate those liens down so more money reaches you.
Example (illustration only):
| Step | 40% fee | One-third fee |
|---|---|---|
| Gross settlement | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Attorney’s fee (off the top) | −$40,000 | −$33,333 |
| Case expenses | −$10,000 | −$10,000 |
| You receive, before liens | $50,000 | $56,667 |
How long does it take?
Mass torts are marathons. Most take several years from the first filings to payment, because the science must be proven before corporations pay. General ranges, not a promise:
| Case type | Typical time to resolution |
|---|---|
| Single-event personal injury | Months to 2 to 3 years; longer if tried |
| Class action | 2 to 5 years, including court approval |
| Mass tort | 3 to 7 or more years for the litigation overall |
What speeds it up: strong science, damaging company documents, and plaintiff wins at bellwether trials. What slows it down: expert challenges, appeals and corporate bankruptcy maneuvers.
Filing early matters. Joining late does not mean faster payment, but missing the deadline means no payment at all.
Do I have a case?
You may have a claim if you used a named product, were diagnosed with a linked injury, and the timing fits the science. See our case pages for the details of each lawsuit.
Gather what you can. We get the rest:
- Pharmacy records, receipts or product packaging
- Diagnosis and treatment records
- Names of your doctors, hospitals and pharmacies
- Dates of use and dates of diagnosis
- For a loved one who died: the death certificate and estate information
Deadlines are real. Every claim has a statute of limitations. Some start when you were hurt; some start when you learned the product caused it. Wait too long and the corporation walks away free.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to talk to you?
Nothing. The case review is free and confidential.
Do I have to go to court?
Most mass tort clients never testify. If your case is picked as a bellwether or goes to trial, we prepare you every step of the way.
Will I get the same amount as everyone else?
No. Your claim is valued on your own injuries, treatment and losses.
I got a class action notice. What should I do?
Call us before the opt-out deadline. If you were seriously hurt, opting out may protect a larger individual claim.
Do I need to live in New York or New Jersey?
No. Most mass torts are in federal court, and we represent clients in all 50 states. Everything can be handled by phone, video and e-signature.
Will you keep me updated?
Yes. We sign you up, we stay in touch, and we keep you informed at every stage.
Can I file if my loved one died?
Yes. Family members or the estate may bring a wrongful death claim.
Is a settlement taxable?
Compensation for physical injuries is generally not taxable, but talk with a tax professional about your situation.
The company is huge. Can I really win?
The bigger they are, the more they have to lose at trial. Nothing is guaranteed, but that is exactly why we fight to win.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
