What is a mass tort, and how is it different from a class action lawsuit?

A mass tort is a type of civil action where multiple plaintiffs each bring an individual claim against one or a few defendants based on similar harm caused by the same product, event, or action.

Unlike class action lawsuits, where claims are consolidated into a single representative action, mass tort plaintiffs maintain separate individual lawsuits that are coordinated for pretrial proceedings to improve efficiency.

While mass tort claims involve a range of injury types that are often relatively severe, class action cases often involve relatively lesser harms to the victims, and they are consolidated because it would be cost-prohibitive for plaintiffs, attorneys, defendants, and the overall court system to pursue each separately. During your free consultation, we can assess whether you have a mass tort, class action, or another type of personal injury claim.