When a dangerous drug, defective medical device, or harmful product injures you, the path forward can feel overwhelming. You’re managing medical appointments, mounting bills, and the unsettling realization that thousands of others share your experience—yet your injury remains uniquely yours. While the source of harm connects you to a larger pattern of corporate negligence, that pattern demands accountability, and so do you.
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These situations raise immediate concerns that keep you awake at night: How will you afford ongoing treatment? Can you hold a massive corporation responsible when their legal team vastly outnumbers yours? Will your individual voice matter against teams of defense lawyers with unlimited resources? The financial pressure intensifies when you’re unable to work, and insurance companies often dispute claims involving products already facing nationwide litigation.
There is a path forward. At OnderLaw, we handle mass tort cases on a contingency basis—you pay no upfront costs, and we only collect fees if we recover compensation for you. Our team has recovered over $5 billion in negotiated settlements for clients injured by corporate wrongdoing, and we bring that experience to every case we accept. Call (314) 408-6136 for a free consultation to discuss your situation and learn how we can help.
Mass tort litigation allows individuals harmed by the same product or action to pursue justice while maintaining their unique claims. Unlike settling for whatever an insurance adjuster offers, this approach recognizes that your injuries deserve individual assessment and fair compensation based on your specific circumstances and losses.
Mass tort litigation demands resources, experience, and commitment that few firms can provide, and our track record demonstrates our capability to deliver results. Our team has recovered over $5 billion in negotiated settlements for clients nationwide, establishing a reputation in complex litigation against well-funded corporate defendants.
“Every case is an opportunity to protect someone else’s family from tragedy”
Mass tort litigation addresses situations where a single product, drug, or action injures multiple people, with each plaintiff maintaining an individual lawsuit with damages specific to their circumstances.
In Missouri, mass tort cases may proceed through the Eastern District of Missouri federal court or consolidate in St. Louis Circuit Court when state law governs the claims. The federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) process, authorized under 28 U.S.C. §1407, transfers related cases from across the country to one judge for coordinated pretrial proceedings. This consolidation prevents duplicative discovery, inconsistent rulings, and wasted judicial resources while preserving each plaintiff’s right to individual trial if settlement negotiations fail.
Missouri law provides a five-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims under RSMo §516.120, though this timeline can shorten if your injury occurred in another state due to Missouri’s borrowing statute (RSMo §516.190). Because mass tort cases involve complex procedural requirements and strict deadlines, consulting with experienced legal counsel promptly protects your right to participate in ongoing litigation and potential settlement programs.
Although both mass torts and class actions involve multiple plaintiffs, they operate under fundamentally different legal frameworks. In a class action, one or more representatives sue on behalf of an entire group, and a single settlement or judgment binds all class members who don’t opt out—a process that requires the court to certify the class under strict standards, including Missouri Rule 52.08. Mass tort litigation treats each plaintiff as an individual party with a separate case, allowing your damages to be assessed individually based on your specific injuries, medical history, and financial losses.
Our greatest results have been the relationships we’ve forged with clients we’ve helped and the lives they’ve achieved after horrific accidents with the settlements our work brought about.
Every case is different and handled differently, but we are proud of what we have accomplished on behalf of previous clients. From multi-billion dollar mass tort settlements to individual personal injury verdicts, we fight for every penny of compensation our clients deserve.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, every case is different*
Our firm represents clients across the full spectrum of mass tort litigation, bringing decades of experience to cases involving corporate negligence and defective products. The following categories represent the most common mass tort claims we handle, though emerging issues continually expand this area of law and create new opportunities for accountability.
Dangerous drug litigation addresses situations where medications cause severe side effects that manufacturers failed to adequately warn about or that result from off-label marketing violations. According to Reuters (2025), approximately 67,000 Roundup cases remain pending nationwide, illustrating the scale of pharmaceutical and chemical exposure litigation. These cases often involve drugs that received FDA approval but later evidence revealed undisclosed risks, inadequate testing, or suppressed safety data—circumstances that demand accountability and fair compensation for affected patients.
Defective medical devices—including surgical mesh, hip and knee replacements, pacemakers, and implantable devices—can cause devastating complications requiring revision surgeries and permanent injury. Reuters (2024) reported that Johnson & Johnson proposed an $8.9+ billion settlement for talc-related claims, demonstrating how mass tort litigation holds manufacturers accountable for design defects, manufacturing flaws, and failure to warn healthcare providers about known risks. These cases require extensive medical documentation and expert testimony to establish the connection between the device and your injuries.
Chemical plant contamination, water supply pollution, and workplace exposure to toxic substances create mass tort claims when corporations prioritize profits over public safety. Missouri communities have faced groundwater contamination, industrial emissions’, and hazardous waste disposal that endangered residents’ health and created long-term medical consequences. These cases require extensive scientific evidence linking exposure to specific health conditions and proving the defendant’s knowledge of the risks—work that our team handles with the resources and expertise necessary to challenge corporate defendants.
Defective consumer products ranging from automotive components to children’s products generate mass tort litigation when design flaws, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings cause injuries across multiple incidents. Missouri’s product liability laws, including RSMo §537.762 and §537.765, govern these claims and establish when manufacturers, distributors, and retailers bear responsibility for harm caused by their products. From faulty vehicle components to dangerous household items, these cases hold companies accountable for prioritizing cost savings over consumer safety.
Mass tort litigation follows a structured path that typically spans two to five years from initial filing through resolution, though complex cases involving extensive scientific evidence may require additional time. Understanding this timeline helps set realistic expectations while your case progresses through various stages designed to build evidence and establish the defendant’s liability.
The process begins with case evaluation, where attorneys investigate your injury, review medical records, and determine whether your claim fits within existing or emerging mass tort litigation.
If your case qualifies, your attorney files a complaint in the appropriate jurisdiction—either Missouri state court or federal court, depending on factors including the defendant’s location, the amount in controversy, and whether related cases are already consolidated in an MDL.
For cases proceeding through the MDL process in the Eastern District of Missouri or other federal venues, the court appoints lead counsel to coordinate discovery, expert witness preparation, and motion practice on behalf of all plaintiffs while your individual attorney continues representing your specific interests.
Bellwether trials—test cases selected to represent different injury types and fact patterns—often occur before global settlement negotiations begin, providing both sides with information about how juries evaluate evidence and assess damages.
Discovery continues as attorneys gather documents, depose witnesses, and develop expert testimony about the product’s defects and the defendant’s conduct.
Settlement negotiations may result in resolution programs that offer compensation based on injury severity, medical expenses, and other factors specific to your case, though you retain the right to accept or reject settlement offers based on whether they fairly compensate your losses.
A mass tort lawsuit involves multiple plaintiffs who were injured by the same product, drug, or action suing one or more defendants while maintaining individual cases. Unlike class actions where one judgment binds everyone, mass tort plaintiffs each have separate claims with unique damages, though courts may consolidate cases for pretrial proceedings to increase efficiency and prevent inconsistent rulings on common legal questions.
Mass tort cases generally take two to five years to resolve, depending on the complexity of the scientific evidence, the number of plaintiffs involved, and whether bellwether trials are necessary to establish case values. Unlike individual personal injury cases that may resolve within months, mass torts require extensive expert analysis, coordinated discovery across thousands of claims, and often test trials before global settlement negotiations can begin. Your individual timeline may vary based on when you join the litigation and the severity of your injuries, but our firm will keep you informed at every stage of the process.
Settlement values vary widely based on injury severity, lost wages, and liability factors. Minor injury cases may settle for $50,000-$150,000. Catastrophic injuries or wrongful death cases can exceed several million dollars depending on case specifics. An experienced attorney evaluates your specific case value. They review medical records and accident details thoroughly.
Compensation varies based on your individual injuries but may include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and in cases involving particularly egregious conduct, punitive damages. Each plaintiff’s compensation is determined individually based on their specific damages, medical needs, and how the injury has affected their life, rather than using formulas that apply uniformly across all claimants. Your attorney will evaluate your case and explain the range of potential recovery based on comparable settlements and verdicts.
Most mass tort proceedings can be handled remotely through phone calls, video conferences, and document exchanges, minimizing disruption to your life and recovery. While some depositions or hearings may require your attendance, our team handles the majority of case work without requiring client travel, particularly for plaintiffs residing outside Missouri. We coordinate with local medical providers for examinations when necessary and use technology to keep you informed and involved regardless of your location.
Mass tort attorneys typically work on contingency fees, meaning you pay nothing upfront and only pay attorney fees if we recover compensation for you. Fee percentages vary based on case complexity and the stage at which resolution occurs, but we discuss all fee arrangements transparently during your free consultation. You never pay for our investigation, expert witnesses, or litigation costs unless we win your case—a structure that aligns our interests with yours and ensures we’re fully committed to maximizing your recovery.
Mass tort litigation demands resources, experience, and commitment that few firms can provide, and our track record demonstrates our capability to deliver results. Our team has recovered over $5 billion in negotiated settlements for clients nationwide, establishing a reputation in complex litigation against well-funded corporate defendants. This experience translates into practical advantages: we know how to build cases that withstand aggressive defense tactics, we have relationships with leading experts in relevant scientific and medical fields, and we understand the negotiation dynamics that lead to fair settlements.
Our St. Louis presence provides local accessibility while our national reputation ensures we can compete effectively in MDL proceedings and consolidated litigation venues across the country. We invest our own resources in case development—funding expert witnesses, conducting independent testing, and pursuing discovery without requiring clients to advance costs. This commitment reflects our confidence in the cases we accept and our dedication to holding negligent corporations accountable. The team approach we employ assigns dedicated support staff to each case, ensuring you receive regular updates, prompt responses to questions, and personal attention throughout the litigation process—because while mass tort cases involve many plaintiffs, your experience with our firm remains individualized and focused on achieving the best possible outcome for your specific circumstances.
Time matters in mass tort litigation because statutes of limitations, settlement program deadlines, and court-imposed case management orders create windows that close if you delay.
We offer free consultations to evaluate whether your injury qualifies for existing or emerging mass tort litigation, and we never charge upfront costs or fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our intake process is straightforward: call (314) 408-6136 to speak with a team member who will gather basic information about your injury and schedule a detailed consultation with an attorney. \
You can also reach us through our website contact form or by visiting our St. Louis office—the sooner you contact us, the sooner we can protect your rights, preserve evidence, and begin building your case. Don’t let corporate defendants and their insurance companies diminish your claim—get experienced legal counsel on your side today.
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