Tuscaloosa Mass Tort Lawyers
Holding businesses and individuals liable for harm to multiple people at once
Mass torts generally involve one or a few defendants who harm hundreds of thousands of people. At Prince Glover Hayes, we understand how to handle these very complex cases. If a toxic chemical is released and an entire neighborhood is impacted, each neighbor may have different injuries (one neighbor may experience skin rashes, and another may have experienced respiratory problems). Since they weren’t injured in the same way, it is difficult to file a class action suit. These types of situations are handled as mass tort actions.
Our experience
Our Tuscaloosa mass tort lawyers have extensive experience litigating mass torts. We have the financial resources and legal knowledge necessary to properly and successfully handle these types of claims. Our support staff is adept at managing and organizing the large volume of paperwork and electronic information these cases generate. We coordinate with investigators who can assist in gathering evidence.
Prince Glover Hayes Partner Josh Hayes currently serves as a Deputy Attorney General for the purposes of prosecuting the State of Alabama’s claims against prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors. In addition, the firm has done extensive work in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL (multidistrict litigation) 2804. This nationwide litigation seeks to hold the manufacturers and distributors of opioids responsible for the opioid use disorder epidemic that has stricken our nation.
Our success with mass torts
Our record of success in mass tort claims includes the following:
- $43.8 million verdict – leading to a global multi-million dollar settlement. On October 3, 2001, a Hale County jury ordered Plantation Pipeline to pay our client, his son, and a family trust $43,800,000.00, including $37,000,000.00 in punitive damages. The plaintiffs sued Plantation Pipeline and Chevron after our client dug an irrigation well on his small farm and struck gasoline. At trial, it was proven that Plantation Pipeline was responsible for 750,000 to 1,000,000 gallons of gasoline that leaked from their pipeline and migrated onto the plaintiffs’ property. There were 38 individual plaintiffs who brought 22 separate lawsuits. After the first verdict, we were able to negotiate a global multi-million dollar settlement, resolving all of our clients’ claims.
- $40 million settlement. In March 2018, Prince Glover Hayes, along with other law firms, brought to conclusion a lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of employees who had been exposed to dangerous and toxic chemicals in the factory where they worked. After years of gathering evidence, deposing experts, conducting testing, and researching voluminous state and federal safety statutes and regulations, we were able to successfully negotiate a $40 million dollar settlement on behalf of our injured clients.
- Active cases. Some of our active cases include:
- 100 plaintiffs. Prince Glover Hayes is currently involved in a lawsuit filed in Tuscaloosa County on behalf of over 100 plaintiffs who have been injured due to pollution, noise, and vibrations coming from a business located near their neighborhood.
- 229 plaintiffs. Two hundred twenty-nineplaintiffs are named in a mass torts lawsuit filed by Prince Glover Hayes and other law firms. This lawsuit involves toxic exposure in the workplace where these plaintiffs were employed.
- 76 plaintiffs. On behalf of seventy-six plaintiffs, Prince Glover Hayes, along with another law firm, has filed a complaint in Perry County, Alabama, containing counts of nuisance, trespass, negligence, wantonness, and conspiracy in connection with the operation of a factory that emits noxious odors. Additionally, the facilities that are used to dispose of the waste generated by this facility have failed and are causing not only noxious odors but health concerns as well.
If you believe your case has the potential to become a mass tort, contact the experienced attorneys at Prince Glover Hayes today.
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How can we help
How does a mass tort lawsuit differ from a class action lawsuit?
Unlike a class action, where all the plaintiffs are generally treated similarly (including receiving the same award), in a mass tort action, each plaintiff’s case is handled individually. A common example of a mass tort is when product makers such as pharmaceutical companies and healthcare companies harm individuals or even cause their deaths.
Mass tort cases involve numerous complaints. A class action involves one united complaint. Generally, mass tort complaints are filed when the factual circumstances of each person’s case are too unique – the differences outweigh the shared similarities of a class action.
In mass tort cases, generally, the various cases are aggregated to the same court to help address common issues before trial, but the cases are tried individually. Many personal injury lawyers do not have the skills, experience, and resources to handle mass tort claims. Prince Glover Hayes has extensive mass tort experience.
What types of mass tort claims do you handle in Tuscaloosa?
Some of the types of mass tort lawsuits Prince Glover Hayes handles include:
- Toxic exposures. Our Tuscaloosa mass tort lawyers represent injury victims and the families of loved ones who suffer illnesses or injuries due to exposure to poisons or hazardous chemicals. The exposures may involve contact with the skin or through breathing in the dangerous toxins. Examples include asbestos and poisonous mold.
- Defective drugs and medical devices. Many mass tort cases involve drugs and medical devices that fail to comply with FDA requirements and/or medical industry standards. These product liability cases may include the failure to warn about dangerous side effects and the failure of the products to provide the health benefits the manufacturer claims. Some drugs and medical devices may cause catastrophic harm and fatalities.
- Other defective products. Many mass tort claims involve defective medical devices, medications, consumer goods, and workplace tools and equipment that cause injuries and deaths due to defects in the design, construction, or marketing of the products.
- Large-scale disasters. We represent the victims of fires, explosions, and many other disasters that occur due to the same source or the same conditions. The numerous victims often join forces in a mass tort claim and then litigate their individual claims.
Examples of mass tort claims
Some recent national mass tort claims include the following:
- 3M’s earplugs. The earplugs designed to help with noise reduction came loose inside their ears - even though 3M was aware of the issue.
- Abbott Laboratory’s infant formula Similac. There are current claims that Similac increases the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature babies.
- Camp Lejeune Water Contamination. These cases involve diseases including cancer and Parkinson’s that are due to water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, from 1953 to 1987.
How do your mass tort lawyers fight for Tuscaloosa claimants?
Generally, a mass tort claim begins as a personal injury or a wrongful death claim. Often, there are multiple complaints and multiple plaintiff’s lawyers. In many respects, mass tort cases are handled like other civil actions – investigating the cause of the accident, determining who is liable, filing a complaint, conducting discovery of everyone involved and/or who has relevant information, reviewing the victim’s injuries, assessing all the damages, negotiating settlements, and trying cases in court.
While mass tort claims may take longer than individual claims, there are many benefits to mass tort litigation, including:
- Sharing evidence among the different plaintiffs. Often, plaintiff’s attorneys need to review large amounts of documents and records.
- Filing claims together. Generally, mass tort claims are all brought in the same state court. Our Tuscaloosa mass tort lawyers understand the specific mass tort filing requirements.
- Trying “bellwether cases.” Bellwether cases help set the precedent that the defendants are liable by serving as test cases. If these cases are decided in favor of the plaintiff, the likelihood of settling the remaining cases increases. Normally, the bellwether cases are the strongest cases
How much can I receive in a mass tort claim in Alabama?
The damages you can receive through a mass tort settlement or a jury verdict are essentially the same as those you can recover in any personal injury claim. These damages include all your current and future:
- Medical bills of every type
- Lost income for every day of your life you can’t work due to your injuries
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of bodily function
- Inability to enjoy your life as you did before the mass tort
- Loss of consortium
- Property damage
In some mass tort claims, we may also claim punitive damages for egregious wrongs.
Do you have a Tuscaloosa mass tort lawyer near me?
Mass torts claims can be confusing. Prince Glover Hayes meets clients at our office located at 2311 University Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. We can also meet clients away from the office when necessary or discuss mass tort claims by phone and through online consultations.
We’re prepared to explain your rights and guide you through the mass tort claims process.
Contact our experienced Tuscaloosa mass tort lawyers for the compensation you deserve
At Prince Glover Hayes, we understand the complexities of mass tort cases. We’re respected by former clients, insurance companies, the legal community, and the state of Alabama for our impressive record of recoveries in mass tort cases. Our Tuscaloosa mass tort lawyers will explain when your personal injury, product liability, or wrongful death case qualifies as a mass tort.
Call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We represent clients in mass tort cases on a contingency fee basis. This means our fee is directly related to the success of your case.