Manufacturers have created many products that improve lives—but when their products or processes negatively impact the environment they can cause exposure and serious illness on a large scale. A
toxic tort is a
class action lawsuit brought on behalf of individuals or groups of people impacted by exposure to toxic chemicals or substances
Types of Toxic Torts
People can be exposed to these toxic chemicals or substances from consumer products, pharmaceutical products, the environment or in the home or at work. Common types of environmental contamination cases we see include:
- Consumer products: Numerous types of consumer products can contain dangerous chemicals, particularly cleaning solvents, paint, pesticides and plastics. These chemicals can be especially dangerous to young children, whose immune systems are weaker.
- Pharmaceuticals: There are thousands of pharmaceutical products on the market, and drug manufacturers are constantly developing new medications. However, these medications can sometimes cause serious and dangerous side effects. These cases are often against drug manufacturers and distributors for failure to warn about the potential side effects of a particular medication.
- Occupational Exposure: Numerous industries involve exposure to dangerous chemicals. Thousands of toxic chemicals are used in industry and mining, and workers are often chronically exposed to these substances, which can cause a variety of toxic injuries.
- Environmental Exposure: Contamination caused by pollution is a common but preventable occurrence—but sometimes it can be committed with criminal intent. For example, it can occur when toxic chemicals are illegally dumped into water resources or chemical fires release pollutants into the air.
