Differences Between Mass Tort and Class Action Lawsuits: A Focus on Medical Evidence 

Mass tort and class action lawsuits are essential legal mechanisms for addressing harm caused by corporate negligence, defective products, or environmental disasters. Though both involve groups of plaintiffs (the people bringing a case against another in a court of law), the way the legal system approaches these cases and how medical evidence plays a role can be quite different. 

This article breaks down these differences, focusing on how medical evidence impacts each type of lawsuit. Through our work with tens of thousands of Americans each year, we see the common challenges they face. If you have questions or are not sure how to best prove your conditions, our licensed medical experts can help with medical evidence.  

What is a Mass Tort Lawsuit? 

A mass tort lawsuit involves a large group of people filing separate claims against one or more defendants for harm caused by a common issue, such as exposure to a harmful drug or defective product. Although these plaintiffs share similar complaints, each case is treated separately. 

How Medical Evidence Plays a Role 

Medical evidence is a cornerstone in mass tort cases. Every plaintiff has to present their own medical records, diagnoses, and expert testimony to prove that their injury was directly caused by the defendant’s product or actions.  

Medical Expert Testimony: 

Medical experts are crucial in mass tort cases to establish causation, which means proving that the defendant’s product directly caused the plaintiff’s injuries. These experts also help determine the extent of damages—basically how much the injury has impacted the plaintiff’s life. 

Medical Records and Diagnostic Tests: Comprehensive medical records are vital in mass torts. Each plaintiff must provide detailed documentation of their medical history, treatment, and diagnosis to demonstrate the extent of harm.  

Diagnostic tests such as MRIs, X-rays, or lab tests can provide objective evidence that supports the plaintiff’s injury claims. 

Challenges in Medical Evidence Development  

Building strong medical evidence in mass torts comes with its own set of challenges: 

Consistency: Ensuring that the medical evidence aligns across a large number of plaintiffs can be difficult, especially when injuries vary in type or severity. 

Proving Causation: Connecting the dots between the defendant’s actions and the injury can be complicated. Medical experts need to clearly demonstrate that the harm wouldn’t have occurred without the defendant’s actions. 

Individualized Damages: Even though everyone in the class may have experienced the same injury, the impact on their lives may differ. Quantifying both physical and emotional suffering can be difficult, especially when injuries have long-term effects or are “non-economic” in nature. 

What is a Class Action Lawsuit? 

A class action lawsuit is a bit different. Instead of each person filing an individual case, the claims of a group of people with similar injuries are combined into one lawsuit. A few people, known as representative plaintiffs, act on behalf of the entire group. 

Medical Evidence in Class Actions  

In class actions, medical evidence is typically drawn from the representative plaintiffs. The evidence needs to show that the injuries of the representative plaintiffs are typical of those experienced by everyone else in the class. 

Commonality: All members of the class must share similar injuries. The medical evidence needs to prove that the defendant’s actions caused the same type of harm across the group. 

Typicality: The claims of the representative plaintiffs should reflect those of the entire class, meaning the medical evidence should be relevant to everyone in the group.  

Challenges in Medical Evidence Development: 

Class actions face their own hurdles when it comes to medical evidence: 

Class Certification: 

For a class action to proceed, it must meet the requirements for certification, including commonality and typicality. If medical evidence varies too much, certification may be denied. 

Individualized Damages: 

Although class members share similar injuries, the severity may differ. Determining how to allocate damages can become complex. 

Statistical Evidence: 

Statistical data, such as the prevalence of certain injuries within the class, is often used to bolster claims in class action lawsuits. 

Key Differences Between Mass Tort and Class Action Lawsuits 

• Number of Plaintiffs: In a mass tort, each plaintiff files an individual claim, while in a class action, the claims of many people are consolidated into one legal action. 

• Medical Evidence: Mass torts rely on individual medical evidence for each plaintiff, while class actions focus on shared evidence from representative plaintiffs. 

• Legal Challenges: Mass torts often struggle with proving causation across multiple plaintiffs, while class actions must meet strict requirements like commonality and typicality to proceed. 

Both mass tort and class action lawsuits are powerful tools for holding corporations accountable, but they differ significantly in how medical evidence is handled. Mass torts require individualized evidence for each plaintiff, while class actions rely on representative evidence.  

Whether you’re seeking Social Security, workers’ compensation, VA disability or personal injury benefits, we at Trajector Medical want you to get the full benefits you qualify for. Reach out today for a Free Medical Evidence Evaluation.  

And remember to read our testimonials to discover how our medical evidence service is transforming lives!