In the legal world, toxic and mass torts and class action are common phrases with distinct meanings. But what do these terms mean to you, and how do they relate to your asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuit?
Let’s take a minute to break down each lawsuit type and what you need to know to move forward with your mesothelioma case.
A toxic tort is a specific type of personal injury lawsuit when a person’s claim is based on exposure to chemicals or dangerous substances that caused their injury or disease. The toxic chemicals may come from pharmaceutical products, consumers products, or the environment.
A mass tort is when an act or omission harms or injures numerous people. Some examples are explosions, commercial plane crashes, groundwater contamination due to improper toxic waste disposal or pollution from industrial factories. They are often based on a geographic area and frequently involve multidistrict litigation.*
A class action lawsuit is a suit that permits a large group or “class” of people to file against a defendant. The class has all suffered the same wrong at the hands of the defendant. Consolidating single cases into a class action allows for a faster resolution as the case can move through the courts faster as a single action.
*A mass tort can be elevated to a class action, but they often stay in mass tort status as a benefit exists keeping the case in this status.
