Zoloft Class Action Lawsuit vs. Mass Tort

Many women who took Zoloft while pregnant are filing lawsuits against Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer. The lawsuits allege that Pfizer failed to disclose that taking Zoloft, an antidepressant, while pregnant can increase the risk of giving birth to babies with severe birth defects.

Recently, a class action lawsuit was filed in St. Louis by Shainyah Lancaster. The plaintiffs are asking for compensation in excess of $200,000 in damages as well as punitive damages and court fees and other related costs. This lawsuit is not the first filed against Pfizer, but it is the first class action on behalf of a group of people, rather than a case on behalf of an individual person or family.

Class Action v. Mass Tort Claims

There’s important distinctions between class action and mass tort cases.

Class actions are cases brought by people representing a group(s) of similarly situated people who suffered substantially similar harm.  In other words, the allegation of the lawsuit is that the class (group) was wronged by the same defendant(s) in much the same way, and the damages they all suffered were similar to or comparable with one another. Typically, a person or a small group of people represent the group in a single group lawsuit.

Mass torts, on the other hand, are individual lawsuits against the same defendant(s) but who may have suffered substantially different amounts of harm.  For instance, a plaintiff who suffered a heart attack because of a drug suffered different damages than a plaintiff who suffered from a stroke from the same drug.

Contact a Zoloft Lawyer

To learn more about your rights, or to learn more about Zoloft Lawsuits,  please fill out the form to the right or call toll-free (866) 981-4800 for a free and confidential consultation with a Zoloft Lawyer.