What is Multidistrict Litgation?

Thousands of lawsuits across the country may be filed with a mass tort. These lawsuits are filed in numerous federal district courts. In a mass tort, federal judges will consolidate the thousands of lawsuits into a single proceeding. One judge in a single federal district court will oversee litigation, allowing for consistent rulings and a more expeditious process for the plaintiffs.

What is the Difference Between a Mass Tort Lawsuit and Class Action?

In a mass tort, each plaintiff (injured person) has an individual claim resulting from their unique damages. In a class action, many plaintiffs are considered collectively. Similarly, in a mass tort, each individual’s claim “value” is unique to the severity of their injuries. In a class action, plaintiffs generally suffer injuries of similar severity, resulting in the same amount of compensation value.

A tort is a civil wrongful act committed by a person or company that results in harm to another person. A mass tort is when multiple victims are injured by the same single tort.

Vehicle Recall Lawyers

Serving Clients Nationwide From Our Texas Offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio & Austin

Manufacturing defects in vehicles can lead to catastrophic accidents, often resulting in serious injury or death. Thomas J. Henry is a leader in vehicle recall litigation. The firm garnered national attention for its representation of thousands of plaintiffs in the GM ignition switch recall cases, ultimately becoming the leading law firm in the nation for GM recall litigation, representing death and injury victims in nearly every state in the U.S.

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In 2016, a record-high 53.2 million vehicles were recalled in the United States. More than 50 million cars have been recalled in each of the past three years, a stunning fact considering auto recalls over the previous two decades have ranged between 10.2 million and 30.8 million. Many of these recalls were associated with two prominent defects:

Faulty ignition switches equipped in General Motors vehicles (linked to approximately 124 deaths)
Faulty airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation (linked to approximately 16 deaths)

These two recalls have been linked to hundreds of injuries and dozens of deaths, and both have been the subject of congressional hearings and federal investigations. The number of total recall campaigns (927) was also record-breaking in 2016. Sadly, government action came too late for those adversely affected by these defective products.

What are the Most Common Vehicle Defects and Recalls?

While General Motors and Takata recalls having garnished the most attention, it is important to remember that safety defects can occur in any vehicle. Among those most commonly cited by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and automakers are:

Defective steering components
Door latch failures
Defective gas tanks and fuel lines
Seat belt failures
Defective child seat anchors (LATCH System anchors)
Defective airbags
Tire defects
Weak vehicle structure

Cars, trucks, and SUVs are not the only vehicles that experience recalls. Recalled motorcycles and ATVs have caused many severe injuries and deaths due to manufacturer defects as well.

What to Do When Your Defective Vehicle Resulted in Injury

Drivers have enough to worry about while traversing the roadways on a daily basis. When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, there is a reasonable expectation that the car is going to perform in a matter that would not put the operator’s life in jeopardy. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of vehicle recalls each year due to manufacturer defects, from the tires to the ignition switches, that can cause catastrophic injuries and in some cases death. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a defective part in a vehicle, contact Thomas J. Henry.

Our experienced defective vehicle lawyers have handled a multitude of injury claims caused by recalled vehicles. We continue to handle cases involving faulty and dangerous GM ignition switches and Takata airbags. Call us today for a free legal consultation — our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.