When a group of individuals has been harmed or injured by a particular product, the mass tort attorneys at Brown & Brown, LLP have the knowledge, skill, and experience to pursue justice and compensation through a legal process known as mass torts.
To find out if you have a mass tort case, please contact Brown & Brown, LLP today. We help clients from St. Louis, Missouri (Phone: 314-333-3333 or 573-333-3333) and Illinois (618-888-8888).
What Is a Mass Tort?
Mass tort is a single wrongful act (tort) that injures many victims, resulting in numerous plaintiffs suing one or more defendants who acted negligently. In the majority of these cases, plaintiffs sue because of injuries caused by one common product, such as:
- A dangerous or defective medical device
- A dangerous pharmaceutical drug or medicine
- A dangerous or defective consumer product
If there is a determination by the court that the various lawsuits have enough commonalities to constitute a mass tort, all of the cases will be transferred to a single court and assigned to the same judge.
Mass Tort – Dangerous Medical Devices
All medical devices are subject to approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Every year, companies spend millions of dollars in research and development for their products. When products fail to receive approval by the FDA, these companies stand to lose billions of dollars.
This situation instills a powerful incentive for companies to do whatever is necessary to push their products to market, sometimes risking the safety of those who buy them. When companies value profits over consumer safety, the results can be devastating.
Transvaginal Mesh Claims
Also known as pelvic mesh, vaginal mesh or bladder slings, transvaginal mesh is a surgical device implanted through the abdomen or vagina to support tissues in the pelvic floor that have been damaged by surgery, childbirth or injury. Transvaginal mesh is primarily used to treat stress, urinary incontinence (SUI), a condition in which urine is involuntarily discharged, and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), in which a woman’s uterus or bladder shifts out of place.
The FDA has received more than 3,000 complaints in recent years from women who have undergone transvaginal mesh surgery. The most common complications in these complaints involve:
- Vaginal pain
- Urinary complications
- Pelvic pain
- Internal bleeding
- Injury to surrounding areas
- Infection
- Erosion of the mesh into the vagina
Injuries inflicted by transvaginal mesh need swift medical attention and often require revision surgery. Certain side-effects linked with transvaginal mesh are irreversible and may diminish a patient’s quality of life or even result in death.
The manufacturers of transvaginal mesh have a duty to thoroughly test their products and provide detailed information about potential side-effects and risks. Many lawsuits are currently pending against various makers of transvaginal mesh, alleging the companies failed to adequately test the devices, failed to warn about possible complications, and exercised negligence in the design of the devices.
DePuy Metal-On-Metal Hip Replacement Cases
A Johnson & Johnson company, DePuy Orthopedics issued a voluntary hip recall of ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the ASR XL Acetabular System. Unlike other types of hip replacements that utilize plastic-on-metal designs, the DePuy metal-on-metal hip replacement systems create dangerous friction, caused by metal sockets and metal balls.
Friction caused by the metal-on-metal construction can lead to the dissemination of metal debris into the body, resulting in infections, inflammation tissue damage and elevated levels of chromium, cobalt and other metals in the blood. High levels of chromium and cobalt in the blood have been linked with liver, kidney, heart and nervous-system damage.
Common symptoms caused by the defective DePuy hip implants include:
- Difficulty standing for long periods of time
- Difficulty rising from a seated position
- Difficulty going up or down stairs
- Difficulty walking
- Audible popping or grinding
- Cup loosening
- Swelling
- Pain
Even if the hip implant does not seem to be causing a problem, DePuy recommends that patients with an ASR hip device visit their doctors for an evaluation.
If you or any member of your family has experienced negative side effects from a DePuy hip implant, please contact Brown & Brown, LLP immediately.
Mass Tort – Dangerous Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical manufacturers have an obligation to conduct exhaustive research to uncover potential side effects before any product is sold to the public. However, instead of helping people overcome disease and illness, some drug manufacturers have actually caused harm.
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs seriously injure thousands of people every year. In some cases, the effects can be fatal. When patients take medications, they trust that the drugs they are taking will not harm them. It is an unfortunate fact that the negative effects of some over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals are not apparent until the damage has already been done, including:
- Depression
- Damage to internal organs
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Hemorrhages leading to stroke
Dangerous drug recalls can protect some individuals from harm, but it is too late for those already affected. If you have suffered from the use of dangerous drugs, you need a skilled lawyer with the knowledge and resources necessary to pursue the full compensation you need to cover your medical expenses, possible lost wages resulting from your injury and your pain and suffering.
Are Mass Torts the Same as Class Action Suits?
A mass tort is not the same thing as a class action suit. In a class action claim, all plaintiffs are treated as a single plaintiff while in mass tort cases, every plaintiff in the lawsuit is treated as an individual. As a result, class action lawsuits generally result in a single judgment, while a mass tort claim can result in unique judgments for every individual.
Contact Our Attorneys Today for a Free Consultation In St. Louis & Illinois, IL
If you’ve been harmed by a dangerous drug or defective medical device, you deserve compensation for your injuries and diminished quality of life. Contact the experienced mass tort attorneys of Brown & Brown, LLP today in St. Louis, Missouri, at the 3s: 314-333-3333 / 573-333-3333 or in Illinois, at the 8s: 618-888-8888.
