Were you or a loved one seriously injured because of a defective or dangerous product in Tampa, FL? You’re not alone. Countless people may have suffered similar injuries because of the same defective product. A Tampa mass torts lawyer at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Mass tort cases can be complex. Our lawyers have over 120 years of experience handling complicated personal injury cases in the Tampa Bay area – and we’ve already recovered over $500 million for our satisfied clients.
Do you have questions about your legal options? Call our law offices in Tampa, Florida, at (813) 222-8656 or contact us to schedule a free consultation where we’ll discuss your case in detail.
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How Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Mass Torts Injury Claim in Tampa
Big corporations put profits ahead of consumer safety every day. When manufacturing companies sell dangerous products, injured parties have the right to take legal action. However, proving liability in mass torts cases is often an uphill battle.
Often, the manufacturer already knows about the danger. They’ve hired teams of defense lawyers who are paid to downplay the danger and protect them from liability. You deserve an experienced Tampa personal injury lawyer who will level the playing field.
At Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers, we have over a century of experience handling complex personal injury cases. We’ve earned an AV-Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and won the Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Silver award for 2020.
When you hire us, you’ll have a skilled advocate to:
- Thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your injury
- Hire leading experts and specialists to identify the link between the harm you’ve suffered and the dangerous product
- Protect you if the insurance companies try to blame you for causing your own injuries
- Determine whether other consumers have suffered similar harm
- Negotiate to maximize your compensation award
Mass torts claims can be complex. Hiring an experienced Tampa mass torts lawyer can make a world of difference in your case. To learn more, give us a quick call today.
Overview of Mass Torts
A tort is a type of action or omission that causes harm to someone else. The act gives the injured party the right to file a civil lawsuit for financial compensation. A mass tort is a type of wrongdoing that involves many people.
However, mass torts and class action lawsuits are not synonymous. Class action suits resolve the issue of liability in a single court case. The “class” includes the group of individuals who suffered similar damages. The settlement or verdict is divided between all members of the class action.
Mass torts, on the other hand, typically involve multi-district litigation (MDL). In MDL, each injured party pursues its own lawsuit. However, those lawsuits are all grouped together into a single MDL that is overseen by a single judge.
In an MDL, the injured parties can share information about their case with each other. The judge will also have all of the information. However, at the end of the day, the judge resolves each personal injury claim individually.
We Handle All Types of Mass Torts Injury Claims in Tampa, FL
Many mass torts claims involve defective and dangerous products. Liability in some mass torts cases has already been established. In some cases, the product manufacturer has admitted liability.
Our lawyers in Tampa handle all types of mass tort injury cases, including those involving:
Dangerous or Defective Drugs
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause significant damage if they haven’t been rigorously tested for defects. Unfortunately, a recent study found that nearly one-third of all FDA-approved drugs posed health risks that were only discovered once the product reached the market.
At Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of defective drug cases, including those involving:
- Opioids, including Hydrocodone and Oxycontin
- Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs, such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid)
- Belviq
- Zofran
- Paxil
- Meridia
- Invokana
- Actos
- Chantix
- Fosamax
- Reglan
- Topamax
- Taxotere
- Trasylol
- YAZ or Yasmin
- Suboxone
- Ozempic
Standing up to big pharma can be intimidating. However, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Thousands of other patients have sustained similar injuries. Our lawyers can help you fight for the full compensation you need and deserve.
Defective Medical Devices
Medical devices often enter the market before they’ve been fully tested. Because of an FDA process called the 501(k) approval process, manufacturers can sell medical devices if they can prove that the device is substantially equivalent to another device on the market. Because these devices aren’t subject to rigorous testing, risks and side effects are often not identified until after the device has been used on thousands of patients.
Our Tampa mass torts attorneys handle all types of claims involving defective medical devices, including:
- Abdominal hernia mesh and transvaginal mesh (including Bard Polypropylene, Covidien Parietex, Ethicon Physiomesh, Atriums ProLite, and Kugel Mesh devices)
- Bard IVC Filters (including Denali, G2, G2 Express, and Recovery devices)
- Boston Scientific Greenfield IVC Filters
- Cook IVC Filters (including Gunther Tulip, Celect, Celect Platinum, OptEase, and TrapEase devices)
- CPAP machines, including Philips DreamStation
- Hip replacement systems, including Stryker’s Tritanium Acetabular Shell device and DePuy systems
- Defective pacemakers
- Penumbra catheters
Were you or a loved one harmed after you were given a defective medical device? Call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers for a free case review today. We can help you determine whether others have suffered similar harm.
Mass Torts Involving Dangerous Household Products
Any type of product can cause serious harm when big corporations cut corners to maximize profits. In some cases, the manufacturer knew about the danger and sold the product anyway.
Some examples of product defect cases include:
- Roundup weed killer
- Juul vape pens
- 3M earplugs
- Talcum powder
- Asbestos
- Takata airbags
- AFFF Firefighting Foam
Our lawyers are here to help if you’ve been injured. All you have to do is call our Tampa personal injury law firm to schedule a free initial consultation today.
What Types of Damages Are Available in Florida Mass Tort Litigation?
Victims of defective products may be entitled to significant compensation. The amount of compensation available will depend on the exact nature of your injuries and the harm you’ve suffered. Even though the cases are consolidated before a single judge, you’ll still have to prove the exact damages you’ve suffered because of the dangerous product.
Most victims are entitled to economic damages to cover their financial losses stemming from the injury, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Specialized care and treatment
- Property damage
- Funeral and burial costs, if the harm resulted in the wrongful death of a loved one
You may also be entitled to non-economic damages to compensate for your non-financial suffering, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Loss of consortium
In cases where the manufacturer knew about the danger and sold the product anyway, it’s also possible that a judge may award punitive damages to punish the defendant for intentional wrongdoing.
How Do I Establish Liability in a Mass Tort Case?
Most mass torts cases fall under product liability laws in Florida. Manufacturing companies have a duty to make sure the products they sell are reasonably safe for consumer use. If the product suffers from a defect, the manufacturer can be strictly liable for damages.
Examples of product defects include:
- Manufacturing defects: mistakes made during the assembly process
- Design defects: dangers inherent to the product’s design
- Marketing defects: failure to warn consumers about non-obvious known risks
Product liability cases can also be based on negligence. Negligence is a failure to exercise reasonable caution under the circumstances.
Our lawyers can identify the legal basis for your claim. To learn more, give us a call today.
Statute of Limitations in Mass Tort Injury Cases
Most mass tort injury claims are initially filed in state court and may eventually be removed to federal court. That means you’ll have to comply with the statute of limitations in the state where you were injured.
In Florida, the statute of limitations in personal injury cases gives injured parties four years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Once four years have passed, you’ll forfeit your right to compensation. However, the clock may not start to run until the date when you reasonably should have known about your injuries and the link to the defective product.
Do you have questions about the deadline in your case? Don’t hesitate to call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation today.
Contact a Tampa Mass Torts Lawyer for a Free Consultation
You shouldn’t have to struggle with the financial consequences because a big corporation cut corners to maximize its own profits. You don’t have to stand up to them alone. Call Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers to speak with an experienced Tampa mass torts lawyer who will stand by your side every step of the way. Your consultation is always free, so there’s no harm in reaching out for the legal advice you deserve.
