Mass Torts: Camp Lejeune And Pharmaceutical Cases Explained
Mass torts are civil cases in which many individuals are injured similarly by the same defendant, commonly owing to a single act, product, or exposure. This differs from class actions, where all members typically have similar cases.
These individuals bring their personal injury cases, which are consolidated for efficiency in the courtroom. Pharmaceutical injury claims and the Camp Lejeune water contamination cases are two of the most critical mass tort incidents.
These cases have drawn the nation’s attention partly because so many people are affected, and serious health risks exist. In this blog post, we’ll examine mass torts, how Camp Lejeune and pharmaceutical cases fall under this umbrella term, and why those affected must contact attorneys like Gallagher Law Group.
What Are Mass Torts?
Before we go into the details of Camp Lejeune and pharmaceutical mass torts, let’s first define what a mass tort is. Mass tort refers to the legal claim with a large group of plaintiffs, all of whom have experienced similar injury or damage due to the actions or products of one defendant (or a group of defendants). These cases can be incredibly intricate because there can be so many parties involved, and they carry particular significance because they enable people the same defendant has wronged to pay that defendant. Class actions differ from mass torts because each plaintiff’s claim is treated separately. Whereas class actions merge cases into one, mass torts maintain each lawsuit separately but try each case on its own merits, so verdicts can depend on the specific harm an individual plaintiff has faced. However, both methods are intended to ease the litigation process, saving both plaintiffs and defendants time and money.Camp Lejeune Water Contamination: Mass Tort Case
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination is one of the Largest Mass Torts in the United States. For decades, from the 1950s until the 1980s, toxic chemicals spooled into the drinking water at the base, exposing thousands of Marines, their families and civilian workers to the potent substances. Contaminants included volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE) and benzene, that are associated with severe health impacts, including cancer, congenital disabilities and neurological disorders. The case of the toxins at Camp Lejeune stands out as a mass tort case because thousands of people experienced the contamination. Individuals who live or work at the base during the contamination period may file claims for their injuries. Some of the most frequently cited health effects associated with the exposures include:Cancer
Toxic chemicals in the water have been linked to leukaemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, bladder cancer, kidney cancer and liver cancer.Neurological problems
Diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and a variety of neurological disabilities have been associated with prolonged exposure to the chemicals.Congenital disabilities
Women exposed to the contaminated water gave birth to children with higher rates of congenital disabilities, including cleft palates, spina bifida and other severe congenital conditions.Reproductive Problems
Male fertility and pregnancy complications, including miscarriages and stillbirths, have all been associated with toxic exposure as well. For decades, the government and military denied responsibility for the contamination, and many victims did not know that the contaminated water was the cause of their health problems. However, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which was passed in 2022, permitted those affected to sue for damages for their injuries. The law also eliminated a legal hurdle known as the statute of limitations, which had, in many cases, made it impossible for victims to file lawsuits because so much time had passed between their exposure and the filing of a lawsuit. As a result, Gallagher Law Group have been working to assist Camp Lejeune water contamination victims through the complicated legal process and pursue the appropriate compensation for their pain and suffering. Filing a claim is a lengthy legal process that requires the claimant to obtain medical records, evidence that they resided at or worked at Camp Lejeune when the water was contaminated, and documentation of the correlation between the contaminated water and the injuries.Pharmaceutical Mass Torts: A Nationwide Crisis
Pharmaceutical lawsuits are another type of mass tort that impacts millions of people. If a drug is released to the market, and it harms those who consume it, that is frequently followed by a wave of related injury claims against the manufacturer. Pharmaceutical mass torts based on injury to drugs or over-the-counter products can be brought against various medications. They can affect thousands or even millions of plaintiffs, creating large-scale litigation. These cases are highly complicated, as they tend to involve the following issues:Wreaking Havoc
Certain medications are known to have serious side effects that the pharmaceutical companies fail to inform people adequately enough about. But the side effects can cause serious health problems or death, harm that can be widespread.Failure To Warn
Numerous pharmaceutical companies do not adequately warn doctors and patients about the potential dangers their products may pose. Dangerous or poorly made products, for which plaintiffs may have claims for inadequate warnings, failure to test adequately, and/or manufacturing defects.Defective Products
Sometimes, the drugs themselves are defectively manufactured, and that causes terrible reactions in patients. These defects may result from contamination, incorrect formulation, or mistakes in the manufacturing process. Pharmaceutical mass torts can involve a broad spectrum of claims, including, but not limited to:Roundup Weed Killer
The herbicide Roundup, which contains glyphosate, is associated with cancer, especially non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Thousands of people who applied Roundup have filed lawsuits against its maker, Bayer (which bought Monsanto, the herbicide’s original producer). The plaintiffs say the company did not sufficiently warn consumers that the product could cause cancer.Opioid Epidemic
For the last few decades, the United States has experienced one of its most devastating public health crises: the opioid crisis. The companies have also been accused of engaging in a wide range of tactics to entice doctors and the public about the addictive properties of drugs like OxyContin. Lawsuits against those companies have led to significant settlements. They are still winding their way through the courts, as $billions have been earmarked for treatment of opioid addiction and recovery efforts.Transvaginal Mesh
Transvaginal mesh products, which treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, have been associated with serious complications, including infections, organ perforation, and chronic pain. Thousands of women have sued the manufacturers of these products, arguing that they were not sufficiently warned about the dangers of these devices.Zantac (Ranitidine)
The powerful heartburn drug known as Zantac was discovered to contain a chemical that causes cancer, known as NDMA. Consequently, lawsuits have been brought against the manufacturers of Zantac, with plaintiffs alleging cancer developed from extended use of the drug.