When one person’s reckless or careless conduct causes another person to get hurt, the injured party can generally file suit directly against the at-fault party and demand compensation from them for their losses. In theory, you can do the same thing when you suffer an injury due to the negligence of a large company or corporation—but in practice, getting a positive result as a single plaintiff against opposition this strong and well-funded can be next to impossible.
Fortunately, you may have an alternative available in the form of a mass tort claim, as well as custom-tailored assistance available from a seasoned injury attorney at Distasio Law Firm. Whether you were hurt by a defective consumer product, a dangerous drug, or anything else that a big company is to blame for, you should contact a Florida mass torts lawyer for help.
What Makes Mass Tort Litigation Unique?
A typical personal injury claim is one injured person filing suit against one allegedly negligent person, or sometimes several people who were all individually negligent in different ways and to different degrees. A mass tort claim, on the other hand, is several injured people—and specifically, several people injured in the same or similar ways—filing suit against a single defendant that allegedly harmed them all with the same negligent act or unreasonably dangerous product or service.
This group of plaintiffs is often referred to as a “class,” with individual people within the group being referred to as “class members.” Any class member can formally start a mass tort lawsuit, but all class members work together during the claims process by sharing evidence and resources in pursuit of a case result that benefits them all, as an experienced Florida mass torts attorney could further explain.
In a traditional mass tort claim, all the class members work together as noted above but keep their individual claims separate from one another, meaning each of them will still have a unique verdict on their claim and may be awarded different amounts of compensation. Alternatively, class members sometimes combine their claims into one “class action” lawsuit where a positive final result would involve all class members splitting a single lump-sum settlement or court award.
Possible Grounds for a Florida Mass Tort Claim
Since mass tort claims are almost always pursued against large companies and corporations out of necessity, the issue at the heart of such a claim is generally either:
- A dangerously defective consumer product manufactured and/or sold by the defendant company,
- A deficient service provided by the defendant company to multiple class members
For example, when a single hospital has multiple negligent doctors on staff who harm multiple patients, those patients might combine their cases into a mass tort claim rather than all filing suit separately. A knowledgeable mass torts lawyer in Florida, such as Scott Distasio, could explain in more detail what situations may or not justify this sort of litigation during a private initial meeting.
Seek Help from a Florida Mass Torts Attorney
Mass tort litigation can be exceptionally complicated, as they are often time-consuming, document-heavy, and expensive affairs under even the best of circumstances. Representation from an attorney with a track record of handling these sorts of cases effectively can make a massive difference in your odds of securing the restitution you want from your unique claim.
A Florida mass torts lawyer at Distasio Law Firm could discuss filing options and potential next steps over the course of a confidential consultation. Schedule yours by calling today.
