Automobile defects are a major source of mass torts in our country. There have been several recent high profile lawsuits and product recalls involving some of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers, including Ford and Toyota.
Mass torts, like class action lawsuits, involve a lawsuit filed on behalf of similarly situated plaintiffs. Unlike class action lawsuits, however, mass tort plaintiffs do not relinquish their rights to pursue an individual lawsuit. Rather, in a mass tort lawsuit, multiple similar cases are combined into a single trial but each case treated individually. A key advantage to mass tort litigation is that the plaintiffs can save time and money by pooling legal resources.
Because automobiles are mass produced, product defects in a particular model or type of vehicle frequently involves mass tort issues. Moreover, because automobiles are complex and powerful machines, auto defects can have significant consequences, such as:
Automobile mass tort litigation can be particularly challenging because of the number of plaintiffs involved, the potential for future plaintiffs to emerge, and the complex legal issues involved in automobile product liability lawsuits. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a dangerous defective automobile, contact us at Ankin Law Offices, LLC to discuss a possible automobile mass tort lawsuit.