Mass tort litigation involves a large number of individuals who have been harmed by the same product or practice. These cases can be complex and challenging, requiring extensive legal knowledge and resources to achieve a successful outcome.
If you have been injured by a defective product, dangerous drug, or other harmful practice, it’s essential to work with a skilled and experienced California mass tort litigation lawyer who can help you navigate the legal system and fight for your legal rights. At Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian, our team of California mass tort litigation lawyers has a deep understanding of the legal issues involved in these cases and can provide you with the strong legal representation you need to achieve a favorable outcome in your case. Contact us today for your free consultation.
What is California Mass Tort Litigation?
Mass tort litigation refers to a type of legal action in which a large number of people have been harmed by the same product or practice. These cases involve multiple plaintiffs who have been injured by a common defendant, such as a manufacturer, pharmaceutical company, or other entity. The damages suffered by each plaintiff in a mass tort case are usually unique, but they all arise from the same underlying product or practice. Examples of mass tort cases include defective medical devices, dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, environmental disasters, and consumer products that cause harm. California mass tort litigation involves complex legal procedures and requires extensive resources to achieve a successful outcome.
Examples of California Mass Tort Claims
Our firm has filed dozens of civil actions involving numerous plaintiffs against one or more defendants in state or federal courts. The lawsuits, which are often class actions, arise out of claims that the companies and their products caused serious injuries through acts of harm, resulting from defective products, a train accident, construction defects, or natural disasters.
Some examples of mass tort claims:
- Wildfires: Wildfire mass tort claims can arise when a wildfire has been caused or exacerbated by the negligence or wrongdoing of a utility company, landowner, or other entity. These claims can involve a large number of plaintiffs who have suffered personal injuries, property damage, and other losses due to the wildfire.
- Mudslides: Large-scale environmental disasters such as mudslides can also result in mass tort claims. These claims can involve a large number of people who have suffered property damage, health problems, and other losses due to the disaster.
- Public Utility Litigation: Public utility litigation mass tort claims can arise from the actions or inactions of public utilities that cause harm to a large number of individuals. These claims can involve a range of issues, including environmental contamination, explosions, fires, and other types of accidents.
- Defective Products: Mass tort claims can also arise from defective consumer products that cause harm to a large number of individuals. Examples include claims arising from defective car parts, household appliances, and electronic devices.
- Construction Defects: Construction defects can result in mass tort claims when they affect multiple units or buildings in a residential or commercial development. These types of claims can involve defects in design, materials, or construction practices that cause significant damage or safety hazards to property owners or occupants.
- Defective Medical Devices: When medical devices such as hip implants, transvaginal mesh, and pacemakers are defectively designed or manufactured, they can cause serious injuries to patients. Mass tort claims can arise when a large number of people suffer harm from the same device.
- Dangerous Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceutical drugs can also cause serious harm to patients, leading to mass tort claims. Examples include claims arising from the use of opioid painkillers, antidepressants, and blood-thinning medications.
California Wildfire Claims
One particular type of mass tort claim that we’ve handled extensively at Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian are California Wildfire claims. California wildfire mass tort claims involve lawsuits filed by a large number of plaintiffs who have suffered personal injuries, property damage, or other losses as a result of wildfires that were caused or worsened by the negligence of utility companies, government agencies, landowners, or other parties. These types of claims can be complex and involve multiple legal issues, such as negligence, product liability, and environmental law. In California, wildfires have become a significant source of mass tort claims due to the state’s frequent wildfires, which have caused billions of dollars in property damage and claimed numerous lives.
Mass Shooting Claims
Another area in which we have represented multiple clients is mass shooting claims. In particular, we handled multiple cases from the Las Vegas Village shootings. The Las Vegas Village shootings were lawsuits filed by multiple plaintiffs who were present during the October 1, 2017, shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. The shooting, which resulted in the deaths of 60 people and the injury of over 800 others, was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The mass tort claims allege that the organizers of the festival, the hotel where the shooter was staying, and the manufacturers of the weapons and ammunition used in the shooting were negligent in their actions and contributed to the harm suffered by the victims. Our experienced personal injury attorneys helped pursue justice for those individuals.
Governing Laws for Mass Tort Claims
Mass tort claims in the United States are typically governed by federal and state laws. Some of the key federal laws that apply to mass tort claims include:
- The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: These are a set of rules that govern the procedures for civil lawsuits in federal courts, including mass tort claims.
- The Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA): This law provides federal courts with jurisdiction over certain class action lawsuits, including mass tort claims, that involve plaintiffs from multiple states.
- The Multi-District Litigation Act (MDL): This law allows federal courts to consolidate similar lawsuits from multiple jurisdictions into a single MDL court, to streamline pretrial proceedings and conserve resources.
Contact Our California Mass Tort Claims Lawyer Today
If you have been affected by a mass tort incident and wish to pursue legal action, it’s important to work with experienced mass tort attorneys who can help you understand your legal rights and pursue the compensation you deserve. Our California mass tort claims lawyers have extensive experience handling complex mass tort cases, including those involving environmental disasters, defective products, and other types of harm caused by the negligence of others.
At Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian, we understand the emotional and financial toll that mass tort incidents can take on individuals and communities, and we are committed to helping our clients recover the maximum compensation possible for their losses. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our California mass tort attorneys and learn how we can help you pursue justice and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.