What is the difference between a class action and a mass tort?

Class action and mass tort are two distinct areas of litigation that may overlap but are fundamentally different. Class action lawsuits involve a large group of people, typically numbering in the hundreds or thousands, who file a case in court against an individual or business. It is a type of civil lawsuit in which one or more plaintiffs sue another person or company on behalf of a larger group of people who have suffered similar losses. The class action is premised on the idea that it is often more economical and efficient for a group of people to bring a single lawsuit than for each individual to bring his or her own action. In contrast, a mass tort is a civil lawsuit that arises from a single incident or set of related incidents. It involves a group of plaintiffs who have been injured by the same product, service, or circumstance, and they sue the defendant or defendants as a group. For example, if a medical device causes many people to become injured, those people would likely join together in a mass tort. Unlike class actions, the people who join a mass tort do not necessarily have to be connected in any way. In summary, class action lawsuits are typically brought by a group of people who have suffered similar losses, while mass torts are brought by a group of people who have been injured by the same product or service. These forms of litigation are distinct but may overlap in certain situations.

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What is the difference between a class action and a mass tort?

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