Mass Tort Lawyer in California
When a drug, medical device, or product harms many people the same way, the law lets those people pursue the company together — while each person keeps their own individual claim for their own injuries. That is a mass tort. It is not a class action: your case remains yours. We help injured California clients understand whether an ongoing matter may apply to them and pursue it. Se habla español.
Injured by a drug, device, or product?
Start with a quick, confidential case review — about two minutes, no cost, no obligation.
What a mass tort is
A mass tort brings together many people injured by the same product or conduct — often a drug, a medical device, or a chemical — so they can share the enormous cost of taking on a large company, while each person keeps a separate, individual claim. That last part is the key difference from a class action: in a mass tort, your specific injuries, treatment, and circumstances still drive your own case. Cases are frequently coordinated before a single court to handle common issues efficiently.
How we handle your California case
We start by understanding what happened to you — the product involved, your injuries, and your treatment — and evaluate whether an ongoing matter may fit your situation. If it does, we help you pursue your individual claim within the larger litigation, gather the medical and product records that support it, and keep you informed as things progress. Whether or not a specific matter applies is something we confirm carefully, never assume. Every case begins with a free, confidential review. Se habla español.
Why work with Woods Law Group
Mass torts involve large companies with deep resources, matter-specific eligibility rules, and deadlines that can be easy to miss. Having an attorney evaluate your situation honestly — and tell you plainly whether a claim fits — matters. We take these cases on a contingency basis for clients we represent, which means no fee unless we recover, and we advance the costs of building the case. You get straight answers, real communication, and a firm that treats your case as your own, not just a number in a larger group.
How much is my mass tort case worth? →
Mass torts we handle in California
- What Is A Mass Tort
- Mass Tort Vs Class Action
- Defective Drug Litigation
- Defective Medical Device Litigation
- How Multidistrict Litigation Works
- Joining An Existing Mass Tort
- Do I Qualify For A Mass Tort
- Settlement Value
Dealing with the manufacturer
California eligibility, deadlines, and your rights
California residents can often participate in mass-tort litigation over drugs, devices, and products alleged to cause harm. Whether a specific matter applies to you depends on the product, your injury, and where and when you were harmed — and each matter has its own eligibility criteria and deadlines. Some product claims also involve federal regulatory issues that affect what can be pursued. Because these are specific and time-sensitive, an early, honest evaluation is the best way to protect your options.
- Filing deadlines (statute of limitations)
- Comparative fault in California
- Claims against a government agency
- Evidence that builds your claim
California injury law: deadlines, fault and caps
California injury law shapes your case in a few specific ways worth knowing early.
- Filing deadline: You generally have two years from the date of the injury to file — and only about six months to put a government entity on notice before you can sue.
- Fault: California follows pure comparative negligence, so you can still recover even if you were partly — or mostly — at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share of the blame.
- Damage caps: An ordinary California injury case has no cap on damages; medical-malpractice claims are the main exception.
- Uninsured drivers: California sets minimum auto-insurance limits and uninsured/underinsured-motorist rules that affect what coverage is available.
Free tools and guides
- Mass Torts FAQs
- Free downloadable guides
- Checklists
- Calculators & estimators
- Side-by-side comparisons
- Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
How is a mass tort different from a class action?
In a class action, one outcome usually covers the whole group, and individuals have little say. In a mass tort, each person keeps a separate, individual claim based on their own injuries — so your specific harm and circumstances still matter and can affect what you recover. The cases are often coordinated before one court for efficiency, but they are resolved individually.
How do I know if there is a mass tort for my drug, device, or product?
You may not know on your own, and that is fine — recalls, warnings, unusual complications, or news of litigation can be signs, but the reliable way to find out is a free evaluation. We look at the product and your injury and tell you honestly whether an ongoing matter may apply. We never assume one does.
How much does a mass tort lawyer cost?
We handle these cases on a contingency basis for cases we take, which means no fee unless we recover, and the initial review is always free and confidential. Cost should never stop you from finding out whether you have a claim.
See if you may have a claim
The case review takes about two minutes. It's free and confidential, with no obligation.