Philadelphia Mass Tort Lawyer
Mass tort cases are civil lawsuits that allow many plaintiffs to sue one or a few corporations for the same reason. A mass tort case can be brought in either federal or state court. You will commonly hear these cases referred to as “class actions,” though there are differences. For a lawsuit to become a mass tort case, the product in question must have caused harm to many people, or the defendant in question must have caused harm to many people.
How Mass Torts Are Different Than Other Lawsuits?
There are various factors that set mass tort cases apart from traditional personal injury lawsuits. A mass tort case refers to:
- Many claims against a single device, product, or company
- There are many claims, but the underlying facts from plaintiff to plaintiff are similar, if not identical
- The different claims in a mass tort case mutually rely on each other
Whereas a traditional civil personal injury lawsuit is appropriate when there are only a few plaintiffs going up against one defendant, advances in technology (particularly concerning mass production and distribution) are one reason why mass tort cases are necessary. Thousands, if not millions, of people, can be affected by a single product. In general, some of the most common mass tort cases include claims made against pharmaceutical companies and claims made against companies that manufacture defective products.
Examples of Mass Tort Cases We Handle
At the Ciccarelli Law Offices, our injury lawyers in Philadelphia have extensive experience handling mass tort cases. Our team has the resources necessary to conduct complete investigations into these cases, and regularly handles mass tort cases concerning:
Permission to File a Mass Tort
For mass tort cases, the lawyers of the plaintiffs involved must seek permission from the court to file a mass tort action. When working to determine whether to give this permission, judges will consider:
- A number of plaintiffs involved
- The location of the plaintiffs relative to each other
- Similarities in the plaintiffs’ injuries
- Whether there is a common cause of the plaintiffs’ injuries
If the court decides that the case is in question should be a mass tort situation, the judges will assign the case and could order that the attorneys publicize the lawsuit to determine whether there are others who have been harmed by the product or device in question.
Pros and Cons of a Mass Torts Suit
Mass tort litigation can be cost-effective and efficient. Consider how long it may take thousands of similar cases to move through the court system. It is much easier for the court to examine many individual cases as one single large case than to go through litigation on each particular case.
Mass tort cases can also present a challenge, particularly because many courts do not have the equipment or personnel to handle such a large group of litigants. A company that is at the center of a mass tort case may say that they could not fairly defend themselves against so many claims.
Contact Ciccarelli Law Offices in Philadelphia
At the Ciccarelli Law Offices, we are going to provide you with a mass tort lawyer and team that will recognize the value of your claim and work to ensure that you receive a fair settlement. We will analyze every aspect of your case and work to determine whether your situation warrants taking solo personal injury lawsuit action or should be added to a mass tort claim. When you need assistance from a Philadelphia mass tort lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation by calling (215) 228-0100.