Practice Areas
Mass Torts
Injury claims against the makers of drugs, medical devices, and consumer products, and against companies responsible for toxic exposure.
A mass tort is a group of individual injury cases against the same defendants over the same product or exposure. Unlike a class action, each person keeps their own case, their own evidence, and their own damages.
The firm reviews claims involving prescription drugs, medical devices, consumer products, and environmental exposure, and follows the federal multidistrict litigation where most of these cases are coordinated. Many mass tort claims are handled together with co-counsel. Any such arrangement, including how fees are shared, is explained to the client and agreed to in writing.
Litigation the firm reviews
Prescription drugs
Claims that a drug caused an injury its maker failed to warn about, including current litigation over an injectable contraceptive, GLP-1 drugs, and a biologic prescribed for eczema.
Medical devices
Implanted ports, hernia mesh, spinal cord stimulators, and other devices alleged to fracture, migrate, or fail.
Consumer products
Personal care products, infant formula, and other products alleged to cause cancer or serious illness.
Environmental and toxic exposure
PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam and other exposures affecting workers, firefighters, and communities.
Technology platforms and harm to children
Claims that platforms were designed to be addictive to young users or failed to protect children. These matters are handled by a person from the first conversation, and the intake assistant will not ask about what happened.
How mass torts proceed
Federal cases over the same product are often transferred by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to a single judge for coordinated pretrial proceedings, known as a multidistrict litigation or MDL. The court may hold bellwether trials, which are test cases; a verdict in one case does not decide anyone else's. Settlement programs, when they come, have their own eligibility rules and deadlines.
Time limits for injury claims vary by state and can be short. In many states the clock starts when a person knew or should have known of the injury and its possible cause. Contacting the firm does not pause any deadline.
What helps a review
The name of the product and its maker, the approximate dates of use, the diagnosis or injury and when it was diagnosed, and whether you already have a lawyer. The intake assistant asks for your permission before it asks about your health, and you can stop at any time.
Schwartz & Associates, PC is responsible for the content of this website. Responsible attorney: Lou Schwartz, Esq. The firm may refer matters to, or handle them together with, other lawyers.
Do not stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting with your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor's advice can result in injury or death. Consult your physician before making any decision regarding prescribed medication or medical treatment.
Current litigation, with each product's FDA status, is listed under Active Cases.
Recent developments
Mass Torts Insights, with links to the primary sources.
If something happened to more people than you, tell us.
Many class actions begin with one person who noticed a pattern. Reviewing your information costs nothing and creates no obligation.