California Mass Tort Lawyers

With the combined experienced of our attorneys approaching 175 years and  a long history of success in mass torts and class actions, we have a hard-earned reputation for being able to handle high-stakes and high-complexity litigation. Because of our history and our extensive experience, when you contact us to discuss your situation, you can rest-assured knowing we have answers to your most complex questions. We also have the resources to guide you through the most challenging legal territory. Though we have offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Houston, our reach and our abilities have a wider reach. From no matter where you are in the nation, we have the resources to assist you in a mass tort or class action.  

We can advise you during a free consultation about which path may be best to pursue maximum compensation. A mass tort is a civil action involving numerous plaintiffs against one or a few corporate defendants. Mass torts may include:

• mass disaster torts
• mass toxic torts
• products liability torts

Mass Toxic Torts

Toxic torts are injuries in which plaintiffs claim that exposure to a chemical caused an injury or disease. Exposure can occur from:

• construction materials (such as asbestos and formaldehyde-treated wood and carpet)
• consumer products ranging from toys, to vehicles, furiture and other products
  
• environmental toxins in the air or drinking water
• pharmaceutical drugs
• toxic chemicals in the work environment

Common chemicals in toxic tort cases include:

• Asbestos
• Benzene
• Beryllium
• Dioxin/Agent Orange
• Manganese
• PCBs
• Pesticides
• Silica

Common diseases in toxic tort cases include:

• Aplastic anemia
• Asbestosis
• Berylliosis
• Byssinosis
• Hodgkins disease
• Interstitial lung disease
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Manganism
• Mesothelioma
• Multiple myeloma
• Pneumoconiosis
• Sarcoidosis
• Silicosis
• Thrombocytopenic purpura

Products Liability and Manufacturer  Torts

The term “products liability” covers a variety of situations. In some cases, people may be injured by defective products such as pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. In other situations, the injury could result from a defective product sold through a chain of distributors for household use. For example, a defective furnace or boiler could release dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide or explode and injure residents of an apartment building, creating products liability for the manufacturer, distributor, and seller.

All of those individuals or companies in the chain of distribution can potentially have products liability toward a person who has been injured by a defective product. The list of potential defendants in product liability lawsuits may include:

• the manufacturer of any component parts to the product
• the manufacturer who assembled the components parts into the defective product
• the first distributor or wholesaler of the product
• the next buyer and re-seller of the product
• all subsequent sellers, including the retail store that sold the defective product to the public

These persons or companies may have product liability to the ultimate consumer, whether that person purchased the item from them, received the product as a loan or as a gift.  An experienced product liability attorney knows how to use product liability law to sue all the parties that may be legally responsible for the defective product. 

Products liability comes to play in mass torts because one product, such as a defective drug or medical device, may have injured thousands of consumers. There are many possible theories of liability. For example, attorneys sometimes refer to inadequate instructions or warnings as “marketing defects” leading to lawsuits.  Marketing defects are basically flaws in the way a product is marketed. This can include:

• a negligent or even intentional misrepresentation regarding a product 
• improper labeling
• inadequate safety warnings or failure to warn consumers about a product’s hidden dangers
  
• insufficient instructions

In these cases, skilled attorneys will argue that the manufacturer knew or should have known that the product would likely cause injuries. Even though the company may have had reasonable information to suspect their product was dangerous, they failed to adequately warn the consumer about the problem. In such a case, and in many others, you may be entitled to compensation for your challenges. Call on our experienced attorneys to help you get the justice you deserve and to be your guides through the mass tort process.