Plain-language definitions of the terms you'll see during a claim review.
Mass tort
A legal action where many people who were harmed in a similar way by the same product, drug, or event bring individual claims that are handled together for efficiency.
Multidistrict litigation (MDL)
A federal procedure that consolidates many similar lawsuits before one judge for pretrial proceedings, while each case keeps its own facts and outcome.
Statute of limitations
The legal deadline for filing a claim. It varies by state and claim type, and missing it can permanently bar a case.
Discovery rule
A principle that can start the filing deadline when an injury (or its cause) was discovered, rather than when the exposure occurred.
Plaintiff
The person who brings a claim alleging they were harmed and seeking compensation.
Eligibility (qualification)
Whether a person's situation — typically exposure and a qualifying diagnosis within the filing window — fits the criteria for a particular claim.
Exposure
Contact with the product, drug, or substance alleged to have caused harm. Some claims require documented exposure as part of the review.
Settlement
A resolution of a claim by agreement rather than a trial verdict. Amounts depend on the individual facts of each case.
Contingency fee
A fee arrangement in which legal fees are owed only if there is a recovery, typically as a percentage of that recovery.
Bellwether trial
A representative test case tried within an MDL to help the parties gauge how similar claims might be valued or resolved.
Class action
A single lawsuit brought on behalf of a group with nearly identical claims — distinct from a mass tort, where each person's claim is evaluated individually.
TCPA consent
Permission a person gives to be contacted, as governed by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. It is recorded at intake before any outreach.
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