If you were injured by a defective drug, medical device, toxic exposure, or another product that harmed many people, you may be dealing with a mass tort claim. These cases are different from a routine personal injury case because many injured people may have similar claims against the same company, but each person’s injury and damages still matter.

At Johnson Attorneys Group, we represent injured people in California. When I review a potential mass tort case, I look at what product or exposure caused the injury, whether the claim is already part of coordinated litigation, what medical proof exists, and whether the filing deadline is still open.

Call 1-800-208-3538 for a free case review. We serve clients throughout California, including from our offices in Newport Beach and Bakersfield.

What is a mass tort?

A mass tort is a civil case involving many people who claim they were harmed by the same product, exposure, event, or course of conduct. Mass torts may involve:

Dangerous prescription drugs
Defective medical devices
Toxic exposure
Defective consumer products
Environmental contamination
Large-scale injury events

A mass tort is not always the same as a class action. In a class action, one or more people may represent a larger class if the court allows the case to proceed that way. California court rules require court involvement in class-action procedures, including class-action settlement approval.

In many mass tort cases, each injured person keeps an individual claim because injuries, medical history, treatment, and damages can vary from person to person.

How mass tort cases may be coordinated

When similar injury cases are filed in different courts, courts may coordinate them to avoid duplicated work and inconsistent rulings.

In California state court, civil case coordination may apply when multiple civil actions share common questions of law or fact. The California Judicial Branch identifies claims involving mass torts as a type of complex case that may require special case management.

In federal court, similar cases may be transferred into multidistrict litigation, often called an MDL. The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation decides whether civil actions pending in different federal districts share common factual questions and should be transferred to one federal district for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings. The Panel explains that centralization is meant to avoid duplicate discovery, prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings, and conserve resources.

This does not mean every injured person receives the same result. Your medical records, exposure history, diagnosis, damages, and filing deadline still have to be evaluated individually.

Types of claims we may review

We may review mass tort claims involving serious injury or wrongful death connected to:

Prescription drugs
Over-the-counter drugs
Medical implants or devices
Defective products
Toxic chemical exposure
Contaminated products
Other widespread injury events

Not every bad outcome creates a valid claim. A case usually requires evidence that links the product, exposure, or conduct to the injury and shows that a legally responsible party may be held accountable.

Drug and medical device cases

Many mass tort cases involve drugs or medical devices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires certain postmarket safety information for approved drugs and therapeutic biologics. The FDA also has mandatory reporting requirements for manufacturers, importers, and device user facilities involving certain device-related adverse events and product problems.

These reports and safety communications can be important, but they do not automatically prove a legal claim. We still need to review your medical records, the product involved, the timing of use, warnings, diagnosis, and any other possible causes.

What compensation may include

If your claim is valid, compensation may include economic and non-economic damages.

Under California Civil Code section 1431.2, economic damages include objectively verifiable monetary losses such as medical expenses, lost earnings, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement, substitute domestic services, and loss of employment or business opportunities. Non-economic damages include losses such as pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental suffering, emotional distress, loss of society and companionship, and loss of consortium.

Depending on the case, damages may include:

Medical bills
Future medical care
Lost income
Reduced earning capacity
Out-of-pocket expenses
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life
Wrongful death damages, when California law allows them

Mass tort settlements and verdicts can depend on many factors, including the strength of the evidence, the severity of injury, the number of claimants, court rulings, defendant resources, insurance, bankruptcy issues, and settlement program rules.

California filing deadlines

In many California personal injury cases, the deadline to file a lawsuit is two years from the injury. California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 applies to an action for injury to, or death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.

Some claims have shorter deadlines. If a claim is against a public entity, California Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a claim relating to injury or death to be presented within six months after the claim accrues.

Mass tort deadlines can also be affected by court orders, settlement programs, bankruptcy proceedings, discovery of injury, and the specific product or exposure involved. The safest step is to have the claim reviewed as soon as possible.

What we look for when reviewing a mass tort claim

When you contact Johnson Attorneys Group, we may ask for:

The product, drug, device, or exposure involved
Dates of use or exposure
Diagnosis and treatment records
Pharmacy records, implant cards, product packaging, receipts, or proof of use
The names of treating doctors or hospitals
Prior medical history related to the injury
Any letters, recall notices, or safety communications you received
Whether another lawyer or settlement administrator has contacted you

This information helps us determine whether your claim may fit within active litigation or whether a separate personal injury or product liability claim may be more appropriate.

Why work with Johnson Attorneys Group

Mass tort cases can move through state court, federal court, coordinated proceedings, or settlement programs. You need a lawyer who can explain where your claim fits and what evidence is needed.

At Johnson Attorneys Group, we focus on injury claims. We do not promise a result, and we do not tell you that every product-related injury qualifies for compensation. We review the facts, explain your options, and help you understand the next step.

We have offices in Newport Beach and Bakersfield, and we help injured clients throughout California.

Speak with a California mass tort lawyer

If you believe a drug, medical device, toxic exposure, or defective product caused serious harm to you or a loved one, contact Johnson Attorneys Group. We can review your situation and explain whether we may be able to help.

Mass Torts Lawyer in California