Case types

Every case below is a claim against a company: the maker of a drug, a device, a chemical, a product or a vehicle. None of them is a claim against your doctor, your employer or your neighbour. If we think your situation belongs in a different kind of case, we will say so and point you to someone who handles it.

1. Case type 01

   Dangerous drugs

   Prescription and over-the-counter medicines that caused harm the label did not warn about. A drug case is a claim against the company that made or sold a medicine. It is not a claim against the doctor who prescribed it or the pharmacy that filled it.

   Claim is against

   The drug maker, and sometimes the company that sold or relabeled it

   Key evidence

   Pharmacy fill history and the medical record of your diagnosis

   Usual form

   Often grouped with similar cases in one federal court (an MDL)

   Dangerous drugs: what we look for 1 example matter open

2. Case type 02

   Defective medical devices

   Implants and devices that failed, broke apart, or had to come out early. Device cases cover hardware placed in or on the body: joint implants, mesh, filters, pumps and stimulators. The claim is against the company that designed or made the device.

   Claim is against

   The device maker, and sometimes its distributor

   Key evidence

   The implant record from your operative report, and records of any revision surgery

   Usual form

   Often grouped in an MDL, with some cases in state courts

   Defective medical devices: what we look for 2 example matters open

3. Case type 03

   Toxic exposure

   Illness linked to chemicals at work, at home, or in the water. Toxic exposure cases connect an illness today to a substance you were around in the past. That past can be a job, a home near an industrial site, or a water supply.

   Claim is against

   The company that made, used or released the substance (not usually your own employer)

   Key evidence

   Proof you were there: work history, address history, service records

   Usual form

   Individual cases, group cases, and sometimes special claim programs

   Toxic exposure: what we look for 1 example matter open

4. Case type 04

   Defective products

   Household and consumer products that hurt someone during normal use. When a product injures you during normal use, you may have a claim against the company that designed, made or sold it. Many people blame themselves or the store and never think of the maker.

   Claim is against

   The maker, and sometimes the importer, distributor or seller

   Key evidence

   The product itself, untouched, plus photos and packaging

   Usual form

   Usually an individual case, sometimes part of a larger group

   Defective products: what we look for 1 example matter open

5. Case type 05

   Vehicle defects

   Crashes caused, or made worse, by a defect in the vehicle itself. Most crashes are someone's driving. Some injuries, though, come from the vehicle: an airbag that did not open, a seat belt that let go, a roof that crushed, or a fuel system that caught fire.

   Claim is against

   The vehicle or parts maker

   Key evidence

   The vehicle and its crash data recorder

   Usual form

   Individual cases, often alongside a normal crash claim

   Vehicle defects: what we look for 1 example matter open