Active Mass Tort Cases
A comprehensive directory of current mass tort litigation in the United States. Each case page includes factual background, eligibility criteria, current status, and scientific evidence.
Pharmaceutical / Drug
Talcum Powder
The largest active mass tort MDL in the United States, with approximately 67,100 pending cases alleging that Johnson & Johnson's talc-based Baby Powder products contained trace asbestos and caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma in long-term users, and that J&J concealed evidence of contamination for decades. J&J's third bankruptcy settlement attempt ($9 billion) was rejected by a federal judge on March 31, 2025. The MDL is now proceeding toward trial.
Depo-Provera
An emerging and rapidly growing mass tort alleging that prolonged use of the injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) significantly increases the risk of developing intracranial meningiomas — brain tumors that can cause seizures, vision loss, cognitive impairment, and death. The MDL was established in January 2025 in the Middle District of Florida. Discovery is underway, and the first trials are expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
Hair Relaxer
A fast-growing MDL alleging that chemical hair straightening and relaxer products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to uterine and ovarian cancer, with a disproportionate impact on Black women who comprise an estimated 90% of users. The landmark 2022 NIH Sister Study found more than double the risk of uterine cancer in frequent users.
NEC Baby Formula
Lawsuits allege that cow's-milk-based infant formula products manufactured by Abbott (Similac) and Mead Johnson (Enfamil) caused necrotizing enterocolitis — a devastating and often fatal intestinal disease — in premature infants, and that manufacturers knew of the elevated risk but failed to warn hospitals or parents. A landmark $60 million bellwether verdict was reached in March 2024.
Zantac
COMPLEX STATUS — The Zantac litigation has a complicated procedural posture. The federal MDL was effectively dismissed in December 2022 when Judge Rosenberg excluded plaintiffs' general causation experts under the Daubert standard. However, state court litigation continues actively in Delaware and other states, where judges have reached different conclusions about the admissibility of expert testimony. This case requires careful nuanced understanding of its dual-track status.
GLP-1 / Ozempic
An emerging and high-profile litigation alleging that GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs — including semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) — cause severe gastrointestinal injuries including gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), which can cause life-threatening aspiration pneumonia during surgical anesthesia. With 1,600+ cases pending in MDL No. 3094 and massive public interest due to the drugs' widespread use for weight loss, this is one of the most closely watched emerging mass torts.
Environmental / Toxic Exposure
Roundup
Over 100,000 plaintiffs have filed claims alleging that Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller, containing glyphosate, caused Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and that Monsanto systematically concealed the cancer risk for decades through ghostwritten science and regulatory manipulation. Bayer has settled approximately 100,000 cases for $11 billion total. A critical U.S. Supreme Court conference on federal preemption (Durnell v. Monsanto) was scheduled for June 26, 2025, and could reshape thousands of remaining cases.
Camp Lejeune
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows Marines, their families, and civilian workers who were exposed to severely contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 to file claims against the U.S. government — overcoming decades of sovereign immunity that previously barred lawsuits. Over 600,000 administrative claims have been filed, and the DOJ has paid over $700 million as of March 2026.
AFFF Foam (PFAS)
One of the largest environmental mass torts in U.S. history, alleging that aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used in firefighting contaminated drinking water supplies with toxic PFAS 'forever chemicals,' causing cancer and other diseases in firefighters, military personnel, and nearby communities. 3M settled water utility claims for $10.3 billion; DuPont/Chemours settled for $1.185 billion. Personal injury claims continue.
Paraquat
This litigation has reached a resolution. Approximately 6,000 lawsuits alleged that chronic exposure to the herbicide paraquat — one of the most toxic chemicals legally used in U.S. agriculture, banned in over 60 countries — causes Parkinson's disease. A confidential settlement was reached in approximately April 2025. This page is maintained for informational and educational purposes.
Consumer Products / Institutional
Social Media Addiction
A rapidly expanding mass tort — described as potentially the most significant technology litigation since tobacco — alleging that major social media companies deliberately engineered their platforms to be addictive to children and teenagers, exploiting developing brains for profit while concealing internal research showing the platforms caused depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide in young users. The first bellwether trial (KGM v. Meta & YouTube) is currently underway in Los Angeles Superior Court as of March 2026.
3M Earplugs
RESOLVED — The largest multidistrict litigation in American history, with over 300,000 claims, has been substantially resolved through a $6 billion settlement. 3M's Combat Arms Earplugs (CAEv2) were allegedly defectively designed, providing inadequate hearing protection to U.S. military service members from 2003 to 2015. Settlement distributions are underway as of 2026.
Medical Devices
Hernia Mesh
Tens of thousands of lawsuits across multiple MDLs allege that surgical hernia mesh products from multiple manufacturers were defectively designed, causing severe complications including chronic pain, organ adhesion, infection, and mesh migration — often requiring painful revision surgeries. The Bard MDL alone has approximately 24,000 pending cases with bellwether trials expected in 2026.
IVC Filters
Lawsuits allege that retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters designed to prevent blood clots fractured, migrated, or perforated organs, causing serious injuries and death. The FDA urged retrieval of temporary filters in 2010, but studies show fracture rates up to 40% in some models. Significant settlements have been reached, with remaining litigation ongoing.
CPAP Recall
Philips recalled approximately 5.5 million CPAP, BiPAP, and ventilator devices in the U.S. in June 2021 after discovering that polyurethane sound-abatement foam inside the devices was degrading and releasing potentially carcinogenic particles and gases directly into users' airways. Philips reached a $1.1 billion personal injury settlement and a $479 million economic loss settlement, but personal injury litigation continues for claims not covered by these agreements.
Bard PowerPort
A rapidly growing litigation alleging that Bard PowerPort implanted port catheters — medical devices used to deliver IV medications including chemotherapy — are defectively designed and prone to catheter fracture, migration, and serious vascular injury. New filings have increased 15.5% recently, with 208 new cases filed in the past month as of early 2026. Bellwether trials are expected.