In the legal sense, a tort means that a company or person has committed a wrong against another person. This may include emotional distress, physical damage or financial damage. In West Virginia, this is often caused by some form of negligence. There are cases in which a greater amount of damage is done, and a mass tort may be filed. Read on to learn more information on the area of a mass tort.
Difference between tort and mass tort
A tort can be filed when a single person is wronged by another person or company. When people think of a mass tort, they often believe that it’s simply for cases with more damages, but the fact is that a mass tort relates to one single accusation filed for or by multiple people. These are commonly attached to some form of negligence.
Consumer product and mass torts
One of the most commonly known mass tort cases includes consumer products. Take children’s toys as an example: When many children are harmed playing with a new toy, the parents might file a mass tort against the toy company. Because the damages of consumer product cases are often physical, plaintiffs will usually seek monetary compensation from the company.
Pharmaceutical mass tort claims
Another mass tort example includes the pharmaceutical industry. When companies advertise their drugs, they are putting themselves at risk if the drugs do not perform as claimed. People may file a mass tort if that drug either does not do what it says or causes serious side effects not advertised or publicly recorded by the company.
As you can see from the information above, mass tort cases can come from a variety of issues. If you are a victim of negligence, you may want to obtain a professional attorney’s services in this field. This is because companies will not simply admit fault. Having an attorney to help you navigate these legal hurdles might help you receive compensation.
