Mass Litigation/Mass Tort Lawyers in Charlotte
Helping You Understand Your Right to a Fair Recovery
When many people suffer harm as a result of a single entity’s negligence, those affected individuals can take part in what are known as “mass torts.” Mass torts, or mass litigation, involves multiple plaintiffs (affected parties) taking action against a single or few liable entities for separate damages.
For example, if you were injured after taking a defective pharmaceutical drug, you may wish to take part in mass litigation. Because the nature and extent of your injuries will likely differ from others who took the same defective drug, taking part in a mass tort could be your best option, as it will allow you to seek compensation for your specific damages. This is opposed to a class action, in which a single reward is split between multiple plaintiffs.
To learn more, or for help with your mass tort claim, contact the Charlotte mass tort lawyers at Charles G. Monnett III & Associates at (704) 859-2003. We offer free initial consultations.
How Does Mass Torts Work?
When it comes to mass litigation, there are a few important things you should know. First, these types of civil actions often take longer than other types of personal injury claims because they involve multiple plaintiffs. However, mass torts can save you the expenses associated with a single-plaintiff claim. Additionally, because multiple attorneys may work on a single mass tort action, you will have the benefit of extensive and varied experience, invaluable resources, and vast skill on your side.
Generally speaking, the mass tort process typically goes as follows:
- Reviewing Records: Our Charlotte mass tort attorneys begin by looking at your medical records and other important documentation in order to determine the nature, severity, and extent of your injuries and damages. This process is done for all claimants in a mass tort action.
- Check for Injury Consistencies: When building evidence, the involved attorneys will review the consistency of injuries/harm experienced by all claimants—consistent injuries indicate that a defective product is likely the cause.
- Case Consolidation and Filing: Each individual case is consolidated into one, which is then typically filed in federal court.
- Bellwether Trials: In some cases, bellwether trials are conducted as a means of determining how future trials may go. Bellwether trials involve taking a small selection of lawsuits from the larger pool and trying them first.
- Litigation and Settlement: In most cases, mass torts are settled. However, it may be necessary to seek a jury verdict if the liable entity refuses to settle the case or when claimants do not wish to accept the settlement offer.
Throughout the process, our mass tort lawyers will keep you informed and up to date on the status of the litigation. We understand that this can be a lengthy and complex situation, which is why we are always available to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have.
What Are the Differences Between Mass Torts & Class Actions?
Mass torts and class action lawsuits both involve large groups of plaintiffs who have been injured similarly or identically by the defendant. However, there are distinct differences you should know about.
Differences between mass torts and class action lawsuits include:
- Mass torts: Plaintiffs in mass torts are technically all individual plaintiffs with individual and unique cases. Each mass tort plaintiff needs to prove their specific case in court to be successful. The results of each case in a mass tort are separate, so one plaintiff could receive some compensation, the next could receive twice that amount, and the next might receive nothing. Because mass torts are handled individually, such groups are usually considerably smaller than a typical class action lawsuit.
- Class actions: Plaintiffs in class action lawsuits are all part of a single, albeit large, plaintiff class. If the class succeeds, then all plaintiffs in it do, too, and the same for failed class action lawsuits. Rewards won in class actions are typically distributed evenly among all plaintiffs in the class.
Are Mass Tort Results Shared by Plaintiffs?
As mentioned, the results in a mass tort are not codependent on one another. Where one plaintiff succeeds, the next might fail because of unique details in their claim. Therefore, plaintiffs do not share results. This separation is important because it allows every plaintiff to win on their own merits.
How Long Does a Mass Tort Case Take?
One of the more prominent “downsides” of a mass tort is that it has the potential to last much longer than the average injury lawsuit. As cases develop, courts consider arguments and evidence, and the defendant works on different ways to defend themselves from new mass torts, the timeline from the start to the end can lengthen more and more. You should expect a mass tort to take at least a year or two to conclude. Again, the fact that mass tort cases are conducted and concluded independently means that your lawsuit could end well before or well after others filing for the same reasons.
In extreme cases, mass torts can last much, much longer, though. For example, there are still some asbestos-related mass torts that first started to form in the ‘80s that continue to this day. Although the overarching mass tort might still be active, that doesn't mean that individual cases have lasted that long.
What Does a Mass Tort Attorney Do?
A “tort” is a legal term for some sort of wrongdoing that can be concluded in civil court, rather than a criminal court. A “mass tort” describes a civil wrongdoing that has affected a “massive” amount of people. A mass tort attorney is a personal injury attorney who has focused part or all of their practice on handling the nuances of mass torts that the average injury lawyer might never encounter.
Duties of a mass tort attorney might include:
- Representing multiple plaintiffs in similar cases.
- Coordinating with other plaintiff law offices, perhaps in different states.
- Studying results from other cases in the same mass tort to benefit current clients.
- Meeting deadlines and courtroom requirements unique to mass torts.
Importantly, mass tort claims can share evidence among all the plaintiff cases in order to strengthen each one individually. For example, if a court in Florida accepts lab results for a defective herbicide product as evidence of carcinogenic properties, then it could be expected that a court in California working with the same mass torts should accept those lab results, too. A mass tort attorney needs to know how to find, use, and share such evidence with other legal professionals working on the same type of mass tort case, regardless of where they are.
Request a Free Case Evaluation
The first step in seeking fair compensation for your injuries and/or losses is to reach out to our firm for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. During the initial case review, we will go over the details of your situation to determine whether or not you have a case. From there, we can advise you on how best to proceed, whether through mass litigation or single-plaintiff civil action.
Since 1983, Charles G. Monnett III & Associates has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of injured individuals and the families of those wrongfully killed throughout the Charlotte area. We believe in treating each and every one of our clients with the care, consideration, and compassion they deserve. We invite you to reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can help you with your case.
Call our office at (704) 859-2003 or contact us online to get started.

Testimonials
What Our Clients Say About Us-
Charles was always available and informative on this process.
“His assistant, Tracey Seifert, was especially helpful in answering questions, guiding me through the process and having a positive outlook.”
- Susan Z. -
Without their help, I would probably have lost everything that I owned.
“My heartfelt thanks go out to Lauren Newton and Stephanie Allen for their hard work on my behalf.”
- Rick M. -
Lauren Newton exceeded all of my expectations and she genuinely cares about her clients.
“Choosing Charles G. Monnett III and allowing Lauren Newton to take care of me was hands down the best decision I have ever made.”
- Jade B. -
The experience I had was exactly what I wanted.
“I would recommend my own mother to this firm.”
- Jacob G. -
I was very satisfied.
“If anyone asked me to recommend someone to them it would definitely be Charles Monnett & Associates.”
- Raven B.
Proven Record of Success
-
$13 Million Medical Negligence Verdict
An infant suffered an undiagnosed case of bacterial meningitis that caused severe neurological damage.
-
$10 Million Car Accident Verdict
Verdict for a child who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident.
-
$9.075 Million Car Accident Verdict
Confidential settlement for a family struck by an underage impaired driver.
-
$8 Million Confidential Settlement
Confidential settlement for an infant with bilateral leg amputations following improper placement of the femoral line.
-
$4.75 Million Defective Automobile
Settlement for a woman severely injured as a result of a defective automobile.
-
$3.375 Million Failure to Diagnose
Confidential settlement on behalf of a child with severe visual impairments resulting from the failure to properly diagnose retinopathy of prematurity in a newborn child.
-
$3 Million Negligent Administration of Nerve Block
Confidential settlement for a woman with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury as a result of negligent administration of nerve block for headache.
-
$3 Million Cerebral Palsy
Confidential settlement for a child with cerebral palsy as a result of birth-related brain injury.
-
$2.5 Million Traumatic Brain Injury
Workers’ compensation settlement for a man who sustained a traumatic brain injury while employed by a logging company.
-
$2.5 Million Traumatic Brain Injury
Recovery for a woman who sustained a traumatic brain injury after her vehicle was struck by a commercial truck while stopped for traffic in a construction zone.
What Sets Us Apart
-
Compassionate Legal Professionals
-
Personalized Attention
-
You Won't See Us On TV
-
Committed to the Community
-
Experienced Trial Lawyers
-
Free Consultation for Injury Victims