What to Look for in a Mass Tort Lawyer

If you have a claim against a drug company, automaker or other product manufacturer, asserting your legal rights may involve filing a mass tort claim. In this situation, you may not be the only one who is entitled to financial compensation, and mass tort claims allow multiple plaintiffs to seek justice even when it might not be financially viable to pursue claims on their own.

10 Key Factors for Choosing a Mass Tort Lawyer

Mass tort cases are complicated, and there is usually a lot at stake—billions of dollars in some cases. As a result, your choice of legal representation matters. So, what should you look for in a mass tort lawyer? Here are 10 key factors to consider:

1. Experience Handling Mass Tort Lawsuits

In mass tort litigation, experience is essential for success. With this in mind, you should not hesitate to ask about a mass tort lawyer’s experience during your free initial consultation. Likewise, the lawyer you choose should not hesitate in providing a clear explanation of why he or she is more than qualified to handle your mass tort claim on your behalf.

2. Experience with Your Specific Type of Mass Tort Claim

Beyond experience with mass tort litigation generally, you will also want to choose a lawyer who has experience with your specific type of mass tort claim. Claims involving defective drugs, defective medical devices, defective automotive components and other defective products are all very different. From the medical and engineering principles involved to how the insurance companies handle plaintiffs’ claims, you need a lawyer who has the knowledge and insights required to provide effective legal representation.

3. A Team with Substantial Resources

Due to the size and complexity of mass tort cases, you need more than just a lawyer on your side. You need a legal team with the resources required to manage the litigation process and the thousands—if not millions—of documents that will be disclosed during discovery. At Searcy Denney, our mass tort team includes lawyers, paralegals, investigators and other legal professionals, and we have strong professional relationships with subject matter experts in a variety of industries.

4. A Record of Success in Mass Tort Cases

While experience is one thing, success is another. You will want to choose a lawyer (and law firm) with a proven record of success in mass tort litigation. This includes success securing both settlements and verdicts for their clients. Although settling is generally the goal, a settlement is not guaranteed, and you need to know that your legal team is prepared to fight for your legal rights in court if necessary.

5. Easy to Contact and Schedule an Appointment

If you have a mass tort claim, your situation is challenging enough already. You don’t want to be waiting around to hear back from a law firm and find out if you will get to schedule a free consultation. When you contact a law firm about your legal rights, you should be able to speak with someone promptly, and you should be able to schedule a one-on-one consultation about your claim at a time that is convenient for you.

6. Easy to Understand Your Legal Rights and Options

When you sit down for your free initial consultation—whether in person or remotely—you should be able to gather all of the information you need to make informed decisions about your next steps. You should be able to easily understand your legal rights and options, and you should not feel pressured to make a decision right away (unless you are running out of time to file).

7. Easy to Get in Touch as a Client

Beyond being able to promptly schedule a free consultation, you should also be able to get in touch whenever you need to as a client. The level of service and attentiveness you receive should not drop off once you hire a law firm to represent you. Your mass tort lawyer should keep you informed and involved throughout the process, and you should be able to get the answers you need when you need them.

8. Complete Transparency About Timelines and Expectations

Due to their size and complexity, mass tort lawsuits often take time. It is not unusual for these lawsuits to take several years to resolve. With this in mind, when you hire a lawyer to represent you, your lawyer should be transparent not only about your potential chances of success, but also about the potential timeline of your case. This is relevant to your decision-making, and you need to make sure you go into your mass tort lawsuit with realistic expectations.

9. Complete Transparency About Costs and Fees

Your lawyer should also be completely transparent about the costs and fees you will incur if your mass tort lawsuit is successful. Generally speaking, mass tort lawyers provide representation on a contingency-fee basis, which means their clients pay nothing unless they win. But still, it is important to know what costs and fees will be deducted from your settlement or verdict (if your claim is successful), as this will play an important role in your decision-making as well.

10. Makes You Feel Comfortable Moving Forward

Ultimately, you should choose a mass tort lawyer who makes you feel comfortable moving forward. If you are facing substantial losses, the outcome of your lawsuit could impact the rest of your life. As a result, you need to be confident in your lawyer’s abilities, and you need to be comfortable sharing all of the information that your lawyer will need to seek just compensation on your behalf.

Speak with a Mass Tort Lawyer at Searcy Denney in Confidence

Do you need to know more about hiring a mass tort lawyer? If so, we invite you to get in touch. Our lawyers have decades of experience handling a wide range of mass tort lawsuits, and we have helped our clients recover billions of dollars in financial compensation. For a free consultation, call 800-780-8607 or inquire online today.