Every Active Mass Tort at a Glance (2026)

This is the master map. Each row shows whether the litigation is still accepting new plaintiffs, where settlement talks stand, and a link to the detailed guide for that tort. Case counts and dates move every month — this snapshot reflects publicly reported figures as of June 2026. A “settlement framework” or jury verdict does not guarantee you a payment.

The detail behind every row is below. If you only read one more section, read the 3-part qualification test.

Quick Answers to the Top Questions

How do I know if I qualify?

Three things almost always have to line up: documented use or exposure to the product, a diagnosis of a covered injury, and filing before your state’s deadline. The full framework is in the 3-part test below.

Which ones are still open?

Most active torts are still accepting plaintiffs — talc, hair relaxer, Depo-Provera, AFFF, Bard PowerPort, Suboxone, Ozempic, Uber, Roblox, social media, NEC, Roundup, and Paraquat among them. The clearest exception is Camp Lejeune, whose window has closed.

Is this a class action?

Usually no. Most are MDLs, where each person keeps an individual case and an individual payout. The big exception in 2026 is Roundup, which is being resolved through a proposed class settlement. See how the two differ.

How much is the payout?

Be skeptical of any site quoting an exact “average.” Real, documented settlement numbers exist for only a handful of torts. Everywhere else, no settlement means no real per-person figure. See how much settlements actually are.

Does it cost anything?

Mass tort cases are almost always handled on contingency — no money up front, and the lawyer is paid a percentage only if you recover. See timeline and cost.

What Is a Mass Tort? (and How It Differs From a Class Action)

A mass tort is a large group of personal-injury lawsuits brought over the same product, drug, device, or platform. In federal court, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (the JPML) usually consolidates those cases into a single multidistrict litigation, or MDL, before one judge. The MDL coordinates the shared work — discovery, expert fights, and a handful of test trials — so the same evidence does not have to be re-litigated thousands of times.

The critical point: an MDL is not a class action. In a class action, one outcome is shared by everyone in the class, and any money is divided among them. In an MDL, you keep your own lawsuit. Your settlement or verdict reflects your exposure, your injury, and your damages — not an equal slice of a common pot. That distinction is why the same litigation can produce a $5,000 verdict in one case and a multimillion-dollar verdict in another.

Two practical wrinkles. First, the same product can spawn more than one MDL — Ozempic, for example, has a gastrointestinal-injury MDL (3094) and a separate vision-loss MDL (3163). Second, the same injuries are often litigated in state court in parallel, sometimes moving faster than the federal MDL. And occasionally a defendant resolves a mass tort through a class settlement instead of MDL-by-MDL payouts — which is exactly what is being attempted with Roundup in 2026. To learn how a true class action is built, see how to file a class action lawsuit.

Do You Qualify? The 3-Part Test

Eligibility varies by tort and by state, but nearly every mass tort claim turns on the same three questions. If you can answer yes to all three, it is worth a free case review.

1. Use or exposure. Did you actually use the product, take the drug, receive the device, or get exposed during the relevant window? You generally need to be able to show it — a prescription record, a device implant card, an employment or service record, a purchase history, or platform-account records.
2. A covered diagnosis. Were you diagnosed with one of the specific injuries that the litigation covers? This is where many claims fall apart. Each MDL is built around particular injuries (for example, talc covers ovarian cancer and mesothelioma; Depo-Provera covers meningioma; AFFF focuses on kidney and testicular cancer). A different diagnosis usually will not qualify, even if you used the product.
3. Timeliness. Are you still within your state’s statute of limitations? Deadlines vary widely — often two to four years — and many states use a “discovery rule” that starts the clock when you knew, or reasonably should have known, that your injury was linked to the product. Some windows are closing in 2026, and at least one (Camp Lejeune) has already shut.

What to gather: proof of use or exposure (records, packaging, receipts, implant cards, service/employment history), medical records confirming the diagnosis and its date, and any documentation tying the two together. Strong, complete records are the single biggest factor in whether a claim moves forward.

Mass Torts Still Accepting Plaintiffs (2026)

Grouped by type. Each entry below is a short, current status with a link to the deep-dive guide. None of these has a global settlement that guarantees a payout unless noted.

Drug & medical-device torts

Depo-Provera (MDL 3140). Women who used the Depo-Provera contraceptive injection long-term and later developed a meningioma (a brain or spinal tumor) allege Pfizer failed to warn them. This is one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical MDLs in the country — roughly 5,500 federal cases as of June 2026, with more in state court. The FDA added a meningioma warning to the U.S. label in December 2025. A pivotal science (Daubert) hearing is set for June 24–26, 2026, and the first bellwether trial is scheduled for December 7, 2026. No settlement yet. Read the Depo-Provera guide.

Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs (MDL 3094 and MDL 3163). Two separate dockets, both before Judge Marston in Pennsylvania. MDL 3094 covers severe gastrointestinal injuries — gastroparesis (“stomach paralysis”), ileus, and bowel obstruction — with roughly 3,700 cases. A newer MDL 3163, created in December 2025, covers NAION, a sudden, often permanent vision loss sometimes called an “eye stroke” (about 100 cases and climbing). Claims extend to Wegovy and Rybelsus, and to manufacturers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Early stage, no settlement. Read the Ozempic guide.

Bard PowerPort (MDL 3081). Patients implanted with the Bard PowerPort catheter — often cancer patients using it for chemotherapy — allege the device’s tubing fractures or migrates, causing infection, blood clots, and emergency surgery. About 3,400 cases sit before Judge Campbell in Arizona. The first bellwether trial ended in a defense verdict in early May 2026, though the jury could not agree on whether the device itself was defective; plaintiffs sought a new trial, and more bellwethers are scheduled. Still accepting claims.

Suboxone (MDL 3092). The sublingual film used to treat opioid-use disorder is acidic, and plaintiffs say long-term use caused severe tooth decay, erosion, and tooth loss that Indivior failed to warn about for years (the FDA added a dental warning in 2022). The case is in Ohio before Judge Calabrese. Deadlines are the live issue here: in states with a two-year limit, the clock that started with the 2022 label change has already run for some claimants, and the court has been dismissing non-compliant cases aggressively. If you think you have a Suboxone claim, do not wait. Trials are not expected until roughly 2028.

Hernia mesh. Defective surgical mesh can cause chronic pain, infection, adhesion, and revision surgery. C.R. Bard resolved much of its hernia-mesh exposure through a roughly $1 billion settlement in 2024, but litigation against other manufacturers (such as Covidien) remains active. Eligibility depends heavily on the specific product and injury. See product liability claims.

Paragard IUD (MDL 2974). Plaintiffs allege the Paragard intrauterine device can break apart during removal, leaving fragments that require surgery. Note the docket number — 2974, not to be confused with the Paraquat MDL (3004). Still active; results so far are mixed.

Consumer-product & chemical torts

Talcum powder (MDL 2738). With roughly 68,000 pending cases, this is the largest active MDL in the federal system. Plaintiffs allege Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based powders caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma through asbestos contamination. J&J’s repeated attempts to offload the liability through a subsidiary’s bankruptcy (the “Texas Two-Step”) have been rejected by the courts, and mediation is underway even as the company publicly resists a global deal. The first federal bellwether is expected later in 2026. Read the talcum powder guide.

Hair relaxer (MDL 3060). Roughly 11,000-plus women allege that chemical hair straighteners — products marketed for decades disproportionately to Black and Latina women — contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that caused uterine, endometrial, or ovarian cancer. The Chicago judge personally selected the first bellwether cases in 2026; expert (Daubert) fights are the next gate, and trials are likely in 2027. A separate medical-monitoring class was proposed for users not yet diagnosed. Read the hair relaxer guide.

Roundup (MDL 2741). Plaintiffs allege the glyphosate weedkiller caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This is the most settlement-advanced tort of 2026: Bayer proposed a $7.25 billion class settlement, which a Missouri court granted preliminary approval in March 2026, with a fairness hearing set for July 9, 2026. It is not final — objectors and a venue fight (Missouri state court versus the federal MDL) are still playing out, and a pending U.S. Supreme Court case could reshape the litigation (see what’s next). Read the Roundup guide.

Paraquat (MDL 3004). Agricultural workers and others exposed to the herbicide paraquat allege it caused Parkinson’s disease. The parties signed a settlement framework in 2025, and a court-approved settlement fund was set up in March 2026, with the MDL largely paused while the deal is finalized and plaintiffs decide whether to opt out. Cases are still being accepted, and Syngenta announced in 2026 that it will stop producing paraquat. Terms are confidential. Read the Paraquat guide.

AFFF firefighting foam (MDL 2873). Firefighters, military service members, airport workers, and people with contaminated water allege the PFAS “forever chemicals” in firefighting foam caused kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and other illnesses. About 15,000 personal-injury cases are pending before Judge Gergel in South Carolina. The judge paused formal intake in late 2025, but cases continue to be filed and can still join. Read this carefully: the multibillion-dollar 3M and DuPont AFFF settlements you may have seen are water-utility deals to clean up public water systems — not one dollar of that money goes to individual cancer patients, who must pursue separate personal-injury claims. No personal-injury settlement exists yet. Read the AFFF guide.

Environmental & occupational torts

Mesothelioma & asbestos. The oldest mass tort of all is still very much open. More than 60 asbestos bankruptcy trusts hold an estimated $30 billion-plus set aside to compensate people diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis from exposure to asbestos in workplaces, products, and buildings. Trust claims and traditional lawsuits can both apply. Because mesothelioma has a decades-long latency, many people are still within their filing window. Mesothelioma lawsuits · asbestos exposure claims.

Technology & abuse torts

These cases involve minors and sexual abuse. They are described here factually and without graphic detail; if you or your child has been affected, a confidential case review with an attorney is the right next step.

Social-media harm (MDL 3047). Parents, adolescents, school districts, and state attorneys general allege that platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube were designed to be addictive and contributed to serious adolescent mental-health harms. Roughly 2,700 cases sit in the federal MDL in California, with thousands more coordinated in California state court. A key legal question is whether Section 230 shields platforms; courts have allowed claims that target the products’ design (rather than user content) to proceed. The litigation is still accepting plaintiffs.

Roblox (MDL 3166). Families allege the gaming platform failed to protect children from predators who used it to make contact and groom minors. This is a newer docket (formed December 2025, about 160 federal cases) before the Chief Judge in the Northern District of California, with parallel state cases and a court-appointed settlement master. Several state attorneys general have reached enforcement settlements with Roblox — but those are government penalties earmarked for child-safety programs, not compensation to individual families, who must file their own civil claims. Still accepting cases.

Uber passenger assault (MDL 3084). Survivors allege Uber drivers sexually assaulted them and that the company failed to screen drivers and protect riders. About 3,600 cases are consolidated before Judge Breyer in California, with parallel state cases (and related Lyft claims). Two early bellwether trials in 2026 both found Uber liable, on theories that include “common carrier” duties and apparent agency. Some cases have settled, but there is no global resolution. Still accepting cases.

Birth & infant torts

NEC baby formula (MDL 3026). Families allege that cow’s-milk-based preterm infant formula (Similac from Abbott and Enfamil from Mead Johnson) caused necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating intestinal disease, in premature babies fed the products in the NICU — without adequate warning. About 800 cases sit before Chief Judge Pallmeyer in Illinois. Be aware of an honest split: state-court juries have returned very large verdicts (including $60 million, $495 million, and a $70 million award to four mothers in April 2026), but the manufacturers have won the first federal bellwether cases on summary judgment after courts excluded the plaintiffs’ causation experts. The next federal trial — the first to target Enfamil — is set for mid-2026. Still accepting claims, typically for infants born before 37 weeks who were fed the formula and diagnosed with NEC. Read the NEC guide.

Closed or On Hold (Don’t Miss This)

Not every tort you read about is still open. Three big ones are effectively shut for new claimants, and being honest about that is the whole point of this page.

Camp Lejeune — filing window closed August 10, 2024. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act gave people exposed to contaminated water at the North Carolina base (1953–1987) a two-year window to file administrative claims with the Navy. That window closed on August 10, 2024, and the Navy is no longer accepting new claims. There is one narrow exception: if you filed an administrative claim before the deadline and the Navy then denied it (or failed to respond for six months), you generally have 180 days to file a lawsuit in federal court. For those who filed in time, the government’s Elective Option settlement program is paying claims, and the first bellwether trials are moving forward in 2026. Read the Camp Lejeune guide.

Tylenol autism (MDL 3043) — federal MDL dismissed, on appeal. The federal judge excluded all of the plaintiffs’ causation experts and granted summary judgment to the defendants, effectively ending the federal litigation over claims that prenatal acetaminophen causes autism or ADHD. Plaintiffs appealed to the Second Circuit, which heard arguments in late 2025; a decision is pending. Some state-court cases continue. This one is best described as unsettled and uphill, not open in the ordinary sense.

Exactech implants — paused by bankruptcy. Lawsuits over prematurely failing Exactech knee, hip, and ankle implants are largely stayed by the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Any resolution — and the value of claims — now depends on that bankruptcy process rather than on ordinary tort trials.

How Much Are Mass Tort Settlements?

Here is the part the internet gets most wrong. You will see pages confidently quoting an “average payout” for torts that have no settlement at all. Treat those numbers with deep skepticism — if there is no settlement and no string of verdicts, there is no reliable per-person figure, only marketing.

As of 2026, genuinely documented compensation exists for only a handful of these torts:

• Roundup: a proposed $7.25 billion class settlement with estimated individual awards roughly in the $6,000–$165,000+ range, depending on exposure type, age, and cancer severity — still awaiting final approval.
• Paraquat: a signed settlement framework with a court-approved fund, but the terms and amounts are confidential.
• AFFF water-provider deals: billions paid — but to public water systems, not to injured individuals.
• Asbestos trusts: long-established trust payment schedules backed by $30 billion-plus.
• Hernia mesh: Bard’s roughly $1 billion resolution (2024).
• Camp Lejeune: the government’s Elective Option grid, with individual offers commonly reported in the six figures.

For everything else — talc, hair relaxer, Depo-Provera, Ozempic, Bard PowerPort, Suboxone, Uber, Roblox, social media, NEC — there is no global settlement, which means there is no real average. Where you see a precise dollar figure for those, it is almost certainly an estimate or a projection, not a promise. When settlements do come, they typically depend on injury severity, the strength of your evidence, your state’s law, and how the early bellwether trials shake out. Being straight about this is the difference between a guide that helps you and one that is selling you something.

How Long They Take & What They Cost

Timeline. Mass torts are not quick. A typical path runs: cases are filed and consolidated into an MDL, then move through discovery, expert “science day” and Daubert hearings, then a small set of bellwether (test) trials, and only then — if at all — toward a settlement and payout. From filing to money in hand often takes several years, and some of these dockets are years from their first trial. Bellwether outcomes are the main accelerant: a string of plaintiff wins tends to push a defendant toward settlement, while defense wins can stall things.

Cost. Almost all mass tort cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing up front; the attorney advances the costs and is paid a percentage of any recovery — commonly in the 33–40% range, plus case expenses — only if you actually recover. Initial case reviews are free. One notable exception: Camp Lejeune claims are subject to statutory fee caps (generally 20% for administratively settled claims and 25% for cases resolved through litigation). Always get the fee structure in writing before you sign.

2026 Bellwether Results & What’s Next

Bellwether verdicts are the scoreboard that moves settlements. The 2026 results so far have been a genuinely mixed bag — which is part of why so few torts have settled.

Verdicts so far in 2026: In the social-media litigation, a Los Angeles jury hit Meta and YouTube with a $6 million verdict in late March (the companies are appealing), and the first federal school-district bellwether settled for a reported figure before its June trial. In the Uber litigation, the first federal bellwether returned an $8.5 million verdict in February, followed by a much smaller $5,000 verdict in a second case in April — both finding Uber liable. The first Bard PowerPort bellwether ended in a defense verdict in May. In talc, state-court juries returned enormous awards (including $1.5 billion in Baltimore in December 2025 and $966 million in Los Angeles, where the $950 million punitive portion was later vacated and the $16 million compensatory award left standing), plus a $50 million federal asbestos-talc verdict. NEC produced a $70 million state verdict in April — even as the manufacturers kept winning federal bellwethers.

What’s next: The single biggest event on the calendar is the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Monsanto v. Durnell (No. 24-1068), argued April 27, 2026, with a ruling expected by the end of the term. The case asks whether federal pesticide law preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims — an outcome that could reshape Roundup and Paraquat litigation, so it is worth re-checking after the decision lands. Also ahead: the Depo-Provera science hearing (June 24–26) and first trial (December 7, 2026), the first federal talc bellwether later in 2026, and the next Uber bellwethers in September. Newer dockets like Roblox and the Ozempic vision-loss MDL are still in their early innings, with more filings expected.

For court counts and docket numbers, the most authoritative source is the JPML’s pending-MDL reports; the Supreme Court docket for Monsanto v. Durnell tracks that ruling in real time. Wire services such as Reuters are reliable for verdicts and settlement news.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I qualify for a mass tort lawsuit?

You generally need three things: documented use of or exposure to the product, a diagnosis of one of the injuries that the specific litigation covers, and a filing within your state’s deadline. A free case review can tell you whether your facts fit a particular tort.

Which mass torts are still accepting new plaintiffs in 2026?

Most active torts are — including talc, hair relaxer, Depo-Provera, AFFF, Bard PowerPort, Suboxone, Ozempic, Uber, Roblox, social media, NEC, Roundup, and Paraquat. Camp Lejeune is the major exception: its filing window closed on August 10, 2024.

Is a mass tort the same as a class action?

No. In a mass tort (usually an MDL), each person keeps an individual case and an individual payout based on their own injury. A class action produces one shared outcome divided among the class. Roundup is the notable 2026 case being resolved as a class settlement rather than a typical MDL payout.

How much money will I get from a mass tort settlement?

There is no honest one-size answer, and most torts have no settlement at all yet — meaning no real per-person figure exists. Where settlements do exist, amounts depend on injury severity, evidence, and your state’s law. Be skeptical of any site quoting an exact “average” payout for a tort that hasn’t settled.

Is it too late to file a Camp Lejeune claim?

For new claims, yes — the deadline was August 10, 2024, and the Navy is no longer accepting new claims. The one exception: if you filed a claim before that date and it was later denied, you generally have 180 days from the denial to file a lawsuit in federal court.

How long does a mass tort lawsuit take?

Often several years. Cases move through consolidation, discovery, expert hearings, and bellwether trials before settlement or payout. The pace depends heavily on how the early test trials go.

Does it cost anything to join a mass tort lawsuit?

Almost always no money up front. These cases run on contingency — the attorney is paid a percentage (commonly 33–40% plus costs) only if you recover. Camp Lejeune claims are an exception, with statutory fee caps of 20% or 25%.

What is a bellwether trial?

A bellwether is a representative test case tried early in an MDL so both sides can see how juries react to the evidence. The verdicts don’t bind the other cases, but they heavily influence settlement value and strategy.

Can I be part of more than one lawsuit?

Potentially, if you have distinct injuries from distinct products — for example, separate exposures to two different drugs or devices. Each claim has to stand on its own use, diagnosis, and deadline. An attorney can tell you whether your situation supports more than one claim.

What documents do I need to file a claim?

Typically proof of use or exposure (prescription records, implant cards, employment or service records, receipts, or account records), medical records confirming your diagnosis and its date, and anything that connects the product to your injury. Complete records are the strongest predictor of whether a claim advances.