Alabama MDL Class Action Lawsuits

Our national mass tort lawyers are pursuing cases in a number of class action lawsuits. Thousands of Alabama residents could potentially be eligible to become plaintiffs in many of these mass tort cases. In this post, we will summarize the most significant class action lawsuits that Alabama residents should be aware of. We will also explain who is eligible to become plaintiffs in the various class action lawsuits, their potential chances of success, and their potential settlement value if successful.

Mass Tort Lawsuits in Alabama

Alabama residents have quietly found themselves at the center of some of the most significant mass tort litigation in the country. From chemical exposure on farms to harmful products in medicine cabinets, thousands of people across the state may be entitled to compensation for serious injuries caused by defective products or toxic substances. Our national mass tort team is actively pursuing justice in these high-stakes cases.

In this post, we’ll walk through the major class action lawsuits that matter most to Alabama families, what they are about, who qualifies, and how much these cases could be worth if successful.

Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits in Alabama

Paraquat is an industrial-strength herbicide (weed killer) widely used in commercial farming since the 1950s. Although it is outlawed in most of the world, it is still legal and commonly used in the U.S. Recent scientific evidence has shown that long-term exposure to Paraquat can cause early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

The evidence linking Paraquat exposure to Parkinson’s disease has led to thousands of Paraquat lawsuits across the country. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits are mostly farmers or agricultural workers who used or worked around Paraquat for years and were later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

A Paraquat class action lawsuit or MDL has been created in the Southern District of Illinois. Over the last 2 years, Paraquat has been one of the hottest mass torts in the country. There are currently over 4,000 plaintiffs in the Paraquat class action MDL, and an average of 200 new cases are added every month.

Alabama is one of the states where Paraquat has been commonly used on commercial farms. If you worked on a farm in Alabama where Paraquat was used on crops and you were later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, you may be eligible to file a Paraquat lawsuit. The Alabama Paraquat lawsuits are considered very likely to succeed because they are supported by strong scientific evidence. Our Paraquat lawyers estimate that successful lawsuits will have a settlement value of $250,000 to $900,000 in cases with strong documented exposure.

Depo Provera Lawsuits in Alabama

If you are an Alabama resident who developed a meningioma after receiving Depo-Provera injections, you may be eligible to pursue legal action against the manufacturers.

Depo-Provera, a contraceptive injection containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, has been linked to an increased risk of developing meningiomas, which are typically benign brain tumors. Recent studies have raised concerns about the long-term use of this medication and its potential association with such tumors.

In Alabama, the statute of limitations for product liability cases is generally two years from the date the injury was discovered or should have been discovered. However, determining the exact start of this period can be complex, especially since meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that may not present symptoms for years. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with a meningioma and believe it may be linked to your use of Depo-Provera, it is important to consult with an attorney promptly to ensure your claim is filed within the appropriate time frame.

Currently, Depo-Provera lawsuits are being consolidated into a multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Florida under Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This consolidation aims to streamline pretrial proceedings and may influence the outcomes of individual cases, including those filed by Alabama residents.

If you or a loved one in Alabama has suffered from a meningioma after using Depo-Provera, consider reaching out to a qualified attorney to discuss your legal options.

Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuits in Alabama

In 2022, a research team from NIH published the results of a groundbreaking study showing that regular use of chemical hair relaxer products can cause uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and other conditions such as endometriosis, and uterine fibroids. This new evidence quickly prompted a wave of hair relaxer cancer lawsuits that have been consolidated into a new class action MDL.

The hair relaxer class action lawsuit is only a few months old and there are already over 200 plaintiffs. This class action is expected to be very big because the size of the potential plaintiff field is large. Millions of African American women in the U.S. (and in Alabama) use hair relaxer products throughout their life. That means that almost every black woman diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer is a potential plaintiff.

The hair relaxer lawsuits are relatively new, but the science behind these cases appears to be comparatively strong. Assuming the scientific evidence is deemed to be admissible in court, these will be very good cases. Our lawyers estimate that the top tier hair relaxer cases (those involving ovarian or uterine cancer) could have a settlement payout of $400,000 to $750,000.

AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuits in Alabama

AFFF firefighting foam is a chemical foam that was widely used for decades by firefighters and the military to deal with petroleum-based fires. AFFF products contain chemicals known as PFAS (commonly referred to as “forever chemicals”). PFAS are now a known human carcinogen, and exposure to PFAS in AFFF firefighting foam has been linked to various types of cancer, including kidney, prostate, and testicular cancer.

The evidence linking PFAS in firefighting foam to cancer has prompted the military and fire departments across the country to stop using AFFF and most companies no longer manufacture it. This evidence has also prompted thousands of firefighting foam lawsuits across the country. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits are mostly former fire fighters and/or military personnel who were exposed to AFFF on the job and later developed cancer.

The AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits were consolidated into a class action MDL years ago, and we may be getting very close to a global settlement in which all plaintiffs receive compensation. New cases are still getting filed and its not too late. This mass tort is significant for Alabama residents because thousands of firefighters across the state may have developed cancer from exposure to AFFF. Alabama also has several military bases where AFFF was frequently used. The potential settlement value of AFFF lawsuits in the top tier is estimated to be around $200,000 to $500,000 per plaintiff.

There are also potential water contamination claims in some areas of Alabama:

Decatur and the Tennessee River Basin: The 3M manufacturing facility in Decatur has been a major source of PFAS pollution. The company produced PFOA and PFOS chemicals until 2002, and these substances have been linked to contamination in the Tennessee River and surrounding areas. Legal actions have been taken against 3M and other companies for their roles in this environmental issue.
Lawrence and Morgan Counties: Residents in these counties have faced PFAS contamination in their water supplies, primarily due to industrial discharges into the Tennessee River. The West Morgan-East Lawrence Water and Sewer Authority filed lawsuits against companies like 3M and Daikin for polluting the water with PFAS chemicals. 4
Albertville: The Municipal Utilities Board of Albertville filed a lawsuit against several corporations, including 3M and DuPont, over PFAS contamination in the Tennessee River Basin, which serves as the community’s primary water source. The lawsuit seeks to address the financial burdens imposed by the contamination, including the costs associated with installing advanced filtration systems and ongoing monitoring.
Centre: The Water Works and Sewer Board of Centre, Alabama, has also initiated legal action against 3M and DuPont for contaminating the Coosa River with PFAS chemicals. The trial, previously stayed due to a proposed multidistrict litigation settlement, is set to proceed.

Victims in these areas can bring personal injury lawsuits in the MDL if they developed certain types of cancer.

Hernia Mesh Lawsuits in Alabama

A hernia mesh is a very small screen or mesh that is surgically implanted during hernia repair surgery. There are numerous different hernia mesh products which all have common design flaws related to the material they are made out of. These design flaws have caused these mesh implants to malfunction resulting in post-implantation complications and injuries.

Problems with the implants has led to a continuous stream of hernia mesh lawsuits that have been consolidated into several different class action MDLs. The biggest hernia mesh MDL is that involving claims against medical device company C.R. Bard. This MDL is in the Southern District of Ohio, and it has over 20,000 pending cases.

There was a settlement last year in 2024. But victims are still filing new hernia mesh lawsuits and our lawyers are still handling them.

Talc Powder Cancer Lawsuits in Alabama

Talcum powder products like Baby Powder were regularly used by millions of people in the U.S. for decades and these products were widely viewed as perfectly safe. They were made from talc, a mineral mined from the earth. It was recently discovered, however, that talc actually contains asbestos particles and regular use of talcum powder products can cause cancer.

Now talcum powder products have been pulled from the market. Millions of women who regularly used talcum powder products for personal hygiene may have developed ovarian cancer as a result. These women have been filing talcum powder lawsuits for years. The talc class action MDL has almost 40,000 plaintiffs and is the second-largest mass tort in the country.

Alabama women who regularly used talcum powder products for years and were subsequently diagnosed with ovarian cancer may be eligible to file a talc lawsuit and join the class action. A number of talc cases have gone to trial and resulted in massive verdicts for the plaintiffs, so these cases have a very high potential settlement value.

Alabama Statute of Limitations and Statute of Repose in Product Liability and Toxic Tort Cases

In Alabama, individuals seeking to file a product liability or toxic tort lawsuit must be aware of specific time constraints that govern such actions. These constraints are primarily defined by the statute of limitations and the statute of repose.

Statute of Limitations

The general statute of limitations for product liability actions in Alabama is two years from the date the injury, death, or property damage occurs. This is codified in Alabama Code § 6-2-38.

However, the discovery rule may apply for cases involving latent injuries—such as those resulting from exposure to toxic substances. Under this rule, the statute of limitations begins to run from the date the injury is discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence.

Statute of Repose

In addition to the statute of limitations, Alabama law imposes a statute of repose for product liability actions. This statute bars any action against the original seller of a product if the action is not commenced within ten years after the product was first put to use by someone not engaged in the business of selling or leasing the product. This is specified in Alabama Code § 6-5-502(c).

It’s important to note that the statute of repose is an absolute bar, meaning that even if an injury is discovered after the ten-year period, the right to bring a lawsuit may be extinguished.

Practical Implications

These deadlines really drive home how critical it is to act quickly when you’re dealing with a product liability or toxic exposure case in Alabama. If you think a dangerous product or toxic substance may have harmed you or someone you love, don’t wait—reach out to a lawyer as soon as possible. Missing the legal window to file could mean missing your chance at justice entirely.

Hire a Class Action Lawyer

The national mass tort lawyers at Miller & Zois represent plaintiffs in class action lawsuits in Alabama. Contact us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online to see if you qualify for one of the mass torts described above.