Lawsuit Information Center
Our firm’s national mass tort lawyers continuously monitor and track events in the various class action MDLs pending in the federal courts (MDL Docket #s). We track the volume of new cases being filed or transferred into each MDL every month, the trends or patterns in new case filings, and the status of bellwether trials, discovery, and other proceedings. And, of course, we track mass tort settlement amounts.
With a new year, we are starting to get a clearer picture of what we can expect in 2025 from the various mass tort MDLs, including those ready to grow and those ready to settle.
This post examines the hottest, biggest, and most compelling mass torts in 2025. If you click the individual links, we also project these settlement amounts.
The Biggest Class Action MDLs in 2025
For the last several years, the biggest MDL by far has been the 3M Earplugs MDL. At one point, the 3M Earplugs MDL had around 300,000 pending cases, making it the biggest MDL ever. The 3M Earplugs MDL is technically still pending, and with over 100,000 cases, it would still be the “biggest.” However, we omitted it from this list because the litigation is essentially over. Below is our revised list of the biggest mass tort MDLs (by number of pending cases or claims) in 2025:
#1 Talcum Powder Lawsuit
The largest active MDL remains the talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, which now includes 66,910 pending cases as of September 2025, along with active state court dockets. These lawsuits allege that long-term exposure to talc-based products, including Johnson’s Baby Powder, caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
For years, this litigation has been marked by stop-and-start momentum, largely because J&J has repeatedly attempted to force a global settlement through bankruptcy maneuvers. The company’s third bankruptcy strategy was rejected again in March 2025, leaving the MDL to move forward in federal court. With case volume continuing to climb, pressure is building on J&J to reach a resolution, though for now the lawsuits remain active and unsettled.
#2 C.R. Bard Hernia Mesh Lawsuit
The C.R. Bard Hernia Mesh MDL is the largest of several multidistrict litigation cases involving defective hernia mesh patches manufactured by various companies. As of January 2025, there were over 24,000 plaintiffs with pending cases in the C.R. Bard Hernia Mesh MDL. Hundreds of new hernia mesh lawsuits have been transferred into this multidistrict litigation (MDL) over the last six months, making it one of the more active mass torts.
An agreement to settle most of the Bard lawsuits was reached in October of last year so this MDL will be winding down in 2025. But new suits will continue to be filed, and our firm is still taking new cases.
#3: Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
In October of 2022, a groundbreaking study from NIH was published showing that regular use of chemical hair relaxer products could significantly increase the risk of uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and other conditions such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids. This immediately prompted a wave of hair relaxer cancer lawsuits that were promptly consolidated into a new class action MDL.
The potential plaintiff pool is enormous. Millions of African American women have relied on hair relaxers throughout their adult lives, which means that virtually every Black woman diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer could be a potential claimant. Early projections suggested this MDL might balloon to 15,000–20,000 cases. Growth slowed after a rapid surge in early 2024, but filings remain steady. As of September 2025, the litigation includes 10,858 pending cases, making it the fifth-largest MDL in the country.
The frustrating reality for plaintiffs is that the first bellwether trials are not scheduled until 2027. That leaves thousands of women who are battling cancer and other serious conditions waiting years before they see meaningful progress in court.
MDLs to Watch
#1 Paraquat Parkinson’s Lawsuit
The Paraquat class action MDL is reported to have been settled in April 2025. A large docket of state court cases remains outstanding.
There are almost 6,000 pending cases in the Paraquat MDL. We do not know the terms of the settlement or what the rules governing it will be. A trial is scheduled in state court later this year in state court. It is hard to imagine that the defendants would let one of these cases go to trial.
Parkinson’s disease is a brutal condition. I do not think the defendants will let these cases go to trial. So, if the defendants do not prevail on Daubert—and all indications are that they will not—my guess is that these state court cases will settle before the end of the year.
#2 Paragard IUD Lawsuit
that the Paragard IUD device had a design defect that caused it to fracture during removal, leaving broken pieces inside the body. As of September 2025, the Paragard MDL includes 3,569 pending cases.
Case filings have grown at a steady pace, but the litigation itself continues to move at a crawl. If there were a ranking for “slowest MDLs,” Paragard would be at the top. But we have a trial date at the end of the year. Our take is that both sides want to settle but just have very different views on what Paragard settlement amounts should look like.
#3 Tepezza Hearing Loss Lawsuit
Tepezza is a new prescription drug that is taken in a series of injections to treat thyroid eye disease (TED). Soon after Tepezza was released on the U.S. market, reports started coming back that a high percentage of patients who received Tepezza injections were suffering permanent hearing loss.
Additional scientific research eventually established that the hearing damage was a side effect of Tepezza, and it was often permanent. Moreover, the manufacturer of Tepezza failed to disclose the true risk of this side effect.
Anyone who suffered permanent hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears) after receiving Tepezza injections may be eligible to file a lawsuit and get financial compensation. A growing number of Tepezza lawsuits have been filed across the country, and the Tepezza lawsuits in federal courts were consolidated into an MDL in 2024. So far, growth in this MDL has been slow; however, these cases are widely viewed as solid and likely to settle in 2026, maybe early 2026.
#4 Bard PowerPort Lawsuit
The Bard PowerPort is an implanted port catheter device designed to provide doctors with direct vein access for intravenous delivery of fluids and medications. However, design and manufacturing defects have made the Bard PowerPort prone to fracture or migration after implantation. When this occurs, patients can face severe complications such as infections, blood clots, and internal vascular damage.
Individuals who were implanted with a Bard PowerPort and later suffered serious injuries from device failure are pursuing product liability lawsuits. These claims have been consolidated into a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL), created in 2023. While case filings were initially slow, the pace accelerated in late 2024. The litigation has grown from roughly 150 cases at the start of 2024 to 1,972 pending cases as of September 2025, reflecting the rapid expansion of this MDL.
#5 Roundup Cancer Lawsuit
Roundup was once the most popular consumer weedkiller product on the market. But recent evidence linking the chemical in Roundup (glyphosate) to cancer prompted a flood of Roundup product liability lawsuits. After a series of massive verdicts in 2018-2019, Monsanto (Bayer) started settling large blocks of cases.
Bayer won 10 in a row with the remaining Roundup lawsuits. Smoke and mirrors were involved. Bayer settled the best cases and let the weaker cases go to trial. One case was so awful that it was dismissed in the middle of the trial.
But Bayer got overconfident. It started believing its own press clipping and forgot its win-loss record was because they were scheduling the weakest cases for trial. Then, it lost five cases in a row, losing billions in the process. Things seemed poised for a settlement, but then Bayer started winning some hand-picked cases at trial. 2025 will be an interesting year for Roundup in terms of whether Bayer continues its strategy of trending water or makes a serious attempt to resolve these claims.
#6 Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
This MDL consolidates lawsuits alleging that companies like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), ByteDance (TikTok), Google (YouTube), and Snap (Snapchat) knowingly designed addictive algorithms to maximize user engagement. Plaintiffs claim these features disproportionately harmed young users, fueling mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation.
The litigation, centralized in January 2023 before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California, has continued to grow. As of September 2025, the MDL now includes 1,961 pending cases. The central claim is that the platforms deliberately exploit user vulnerabilities, while defendants continue to argue for immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and the First Amendment. So far, those defenses have not been the shield the companies hoped for. The MDL remains in the pre-trial stage, with motions to dismiss still being litigated. This litigation could go either way, but this could become one of the defining mass torts of the decade.
#7 Valsartan Lawsuits
The Valsartan lawsuits have been pending in a class action MDL for several years now. The lawsuits allege that certain batches of the drug were contaminated with NDMA (a known carcinogen) during the manufacturing process. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for injuries, including liver damage and gastric cancer.
As of January 2025, there are 1,288 pending cases in the Valsartan MDL. The first trial is now expected at the end of the year.
#8 Benzene Exposure Lawsuits
Benzene exposure lawsuits are not centralized in an MDL, but they remain a major national mass tort. These cases involve workers and consumers who developed leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and other blood cancers after long-term exposure to benzene in solvents, fuels, degreasers, and contaminated consumer products such as aerosol sunscreens and dry shampoos. The litigation is scattered across state courts, with California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania serving as the most active venues, but the volume of cases is significant enough that defense counsel treats it as coordinated mass litigation.
Because benzene exposure can occur in many contexts, the cases require careful causation work with experts in occupational medicine and toxicology. Earlier benzene cancer verdicts have reached into the millions, and settlement payouts have generally tracked disease severity and exposure history. While there is no single MDL number attached to this litigation, benzene remains one of the most active mass torts in the country.
#9 Dupixent Lymphoma Lawsuits
Dupixent lawsuits are also outside the MDL system at this stage, but they are quickly coalescing into a national mass tort. These cases allege that the biologic drug, widely prescribed for eczema and asthma, can trigger or accelerate cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and related blood cancers. The scientific debate centers on whether Dupixent unmasks an underlying lymphoma or directly accelerates its progression. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that manufacturers failed to warn doctors that adult-onset “eczema” could be early lymphoma, and that continuing Dupixent in these patients worsened outcomes.
Because the first wave of cases was only filed in 2025, no MDL has yet been formed, but filings are expected to grow. Plaintiffs’ firms are already projecting settlement tiers ranging from several hundred thousand dollars for early-stage CTCL up to seven figures for advanced lymphoma with shortened life expectancy. This is classic early-stage mass tort litigation: fragmented, still in intake mode, but with liability theories strong enough to support consolidation and eventual settlement.
Class Actions Most Likely to Settle in 2025
Based on what our lawyers have been hearing, one mass tort MDL seems most likely to be resolved with global settlements in 2025.
#1: AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit
The AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits allege that exposure to so-called forever chemicals in AFFF firefighting foam (used to put out large fires) caused countless firefighters and military veterans to develop cancer.
There was widespread speculation that a global settlement deal could be in the works for the AFFF lawsuits. The defendants have already settled most cases brought by municipalities. So a global AFFF settlement makes sense, and it could happen in 2026. We think these are really strong cases. The only complicating factor now, and it is a big one, is that tens of thousands of claims have been filed in the last month. This makes settlement a lot more difficult.
Class Actions Ready to Grow in 2025
The class action MDLs in this section are those that are ready to post explosive growth because of the size of the potential plaintiff field or other circumstances.
#1 Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuits
Depo-Provera is better known as the “birth control shot.” It is an injection that provides birth control for up to 3 months as an alternative to taking the pill every day. Depo-Provera has been around for decades and thousands of women have taken it for birth control.
New scientific evidence has shown that extended use of Depo-Provera can significantly increase the risk of developing certain types of brain tumors called meningiomas. The evidence linking Depo-Provera to meningioma tumors is very strong. Thousands of women who took Depo-Provera and were later diagnosed with meningiomas are now bringing Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits.
This mass tort is number one on this list for two reasons. First, the interest level in these cases among plaintiffs’ attorneys is very high right now. Second, the size of the potential plaintiff field is large. According to the FDA, an estimated 25% of the adult female population received the birth control shot at least once.
#2 Hernia Mesh Lawsuit (non-Bard)
A hernia mesh is a small, screen-like implant that is used to reinforce muscle and tissue after a hernia repair surgery. A number of different permanent hernia mesh products have design flaws related to the material they are made out of, that has caused them to malfunction, resulting in post-implantation complications and injuries.
This has led to a large wave of hernia mesh lawsuits that have been settled. More claims against Covidien and other manufacturers remain. But our firm is still seeking more hernia mesh victims for Bard and other manufacturers.
#3 Uber Driver Sex Abuse Lawsuit
A growing number of lawsuits are being filed alleging that Uber drivers sexually assaulted passengers. Lawsuits are being filed against Uber for allegedly being negligent in its screening and monitoring of drivers and for ignoring complaints and red flags. The Uber driver sex abuse lawsuits have been consolidated into an MDL in the Northern District of California. These are really strong lawsuits. The per-person settlement amounts we think will be astronomical. We also expect a Lyft MDL class action at the end of 2025.
New Class Action MDLs
Below are two new mass torts that are on their way to becoming class actions and being consolidated into MDLs. We don’t have MDLs for either of these yet, but that should happen within the next few months.
Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuit
Suboxone is a drug that is used to treat opioid addiction and dependency. Suboxone is administered in a sublingual (under the tongue) insert that dissolves in the mouth.
Unfortunately, Suboxone causes dry mouth and severe tooth decay. Although the drug’s manufacturers were well aware of this fact for years, they refused to include a warning about tooth decay on the drug’s product label.
It was only after the FDA issued a public safety warning about Suboxone tooth decay that a warning label was added. Now, thousands of people who used the drug and suffered tooth decay or dental injuries are expected to file Suboxone tooth decay lawsuits.
There is now an MDL class action lawsuit. This will be really big litigation.
Ozempic Gallbladder Lawsuit
Ozempic is a very popular diabetes drug, and recently it has been widely used as a weight loss drug. Recent evidence has shown, however, that using Ozempic at high doses (which is common for weight loss) can cause serious problems with the gallbladder, including gallstones and gallbladder disease. Individuals who used Ozempic and suffered gallbladder injuries are now filing Ozempic lawsuits against the drug.
This will be litigation, and there will be plaintiffs who have a lot of damages. But there will also be many more minor injury cases where the victim had real complications, but only for a limited period of time, and they are perfectly fine now. So, putting a settlement amount on those cases will be a challenge.
There is one wild card here that will drive settlement payouts in the plaintiffs’ favor. These companies are printing money with these new obesity-fighting drugs. This litigation is a distraction they will want to rid themselves of as soon as feasible.
Heavy Metal Baby Food Lawsuit
A new baby food MDL was been established in 2024, consolidating lawsuits against major baby food manufacturers in the United States.
The consolidated lawsuits allege that certain baby food products contain unsafe levels of heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead, and mercury. Saying “allege” is understating the case. These products clearly contain heavy metals that pose significant health risks, potentially causing developmental issues in infants and children, including conditions like autism and ADHD. The defendants in this MDL include prominent companies such as Gerber, Beech-Nut, Walmart, and Campbell Soup Company.
In April 2024, all related federal lawsuits were merged into a single case, which is being overseen by Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in the Northern District of California. While it is still too early to predict the outcome of this litigation, baby food lawyers are growing bullish on it.
BioZorb Implant Lawsuits
The BioZorb is an implant designed as a tissue marker for lumpectomy surgeries. New evidence has shown that the BioZorb can cause serious complications, including chronic pain, scarring, and the need for additional surgeries. Despite its promise to aid in recovery, the device has led to outcomes that were not fully disclosed by its manufacturer, Hologic. BioZorb implant lawsuits are now being filed across the country and this litigation could gain major momentum next year.
Oxbryta Lawsuits
Oxbryta is a relatively new drug that was supposed to help treat the symptoms of sickle cell disease. Shortly after Oxbryta was released on the U.S. market in 2019, however, evidence began to show that this drug actually increased some of the symptoms of sickle cell disease, such as vaso-occlusive crises or VOCs. In September 2024 Oxbryta was voluntarily recalled due to these safety concerns, which has prompted what is expected to be a steady wave of Oxbryta lawsuits.
Dockets for Class Action MDLs
| MDL | DISTRICT ECF LINK | CASE # FOR QUERY |
| 3M Earplugs | N.D. Florida | 3:19-md-2885 |
| Acetaminophen | SDNY | 1:22-md-03043 |
| AFFF | D. South Carolina | 2:18-mn-2873 |
| Bard PowerPort | D. Arizona | 2:23-md-03081 |
| Camp Lejeune | E.D. North Carolina | 7:23-cv-00897 |
| CPAP | W.D. Pennsylvania | 2:21-mc-1230 |
| Depo Provera | N.D. Florida | 3:25-md-3140 |
| Elmiron | D. New Jersey | 2:20-md-2973 |
| Exactech | E.D. New York | 1:22-md-03044 |
| Gardasil | W.D. North Carolina | 3:22-md-03036 |
| Hair Relaxer | N.D. Illinois | 1:23-cv-00818 |
| Hernia Mesh (Bard) | S.D. Ohio | 2:18-md-2846 |
| NEC Formula | N.D. Illinois | 1:22-cv-00071 |
| OneWheel Injury | N.D. Cal. | 5:23-md-03087 |
| Ozempic | E.D. Pa. | 2:24-md-03094 |
| Paragard IUD | N.D. Georgia | 1:20-md-2974 |
| Paraquat | S.D. Illinois | 3:21-md-3004 |
| Roundup | N.D. Cal. | 16-md-2741 |
| Social Media Addiction | N.D. Cal. | 4:22-md-03047 |
| Suboxone Tooth Decay | N.D. Ohio | 1:24-md-03092 |
| Talcum Powder | D. New Jersey | 3:16-md-02738 |
| Tepezza | N.D. Illinois | 1:23-cv-03568 |
| Toxic Baby Food | N.D. Cal. | 3:24-md-3101 |
| Uber Sex Assault | N.D. Cal. | 3:23-md-03084 |
| Valsartan | D. New Jersey | 1:19-md-02875 |
| Zantac | S.D. Florida | 20-md-2924 |
Largest Active MDLs (September 2025)
| District | Judge (Title) | Docket No. | Litigation | Actions Pending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NJ | Michael A. Shipp (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2738 | Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Liability | 66,910 |
| OHS | Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2846 | Davol/C.R. Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh | 24,026 |
| SC | Richard M. Gergel (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2873 | Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF) Products Liability | 12,915 |
| NJ | Claire C. Cecchi (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2789 | Proton-Pump Inhibitor Products Liability (No. II) | 11,336 |
| ILN | Mary M. Rowland (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3060 | Hair Relaxer Products Liability | 10,858 |
| MN | Joan N. Ericksen (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-2666 | Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Devices | 8,784 |
| INS | Richard L. Young (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2570 | Cook Medical IVC Filters Products Liability | 6,979 |
| ILS | Nancy J. Rosenstengel (Chief Judge, USDC) | MDL-3004 | Paraquat Products Liability | 6,362 |
| LAE | Jane Triche Milazzo (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2740 | Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability | 4,802 |
| CAN | Vince Chhabria (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2741 | Roundup Products Liability | 4,464 |
| GAN | Leigh Martin May (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2974 | Paragard IUD Products Liability | 3,569 |
| OHN | Dan A. Polster (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-2804 | National Prescription Opiate Litigation | 2,982 |
| PAE | Karen S. Marston (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3094 | GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) | 2,676 |
| CAN | Charles R. Breyer (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-3084 | Uber Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation | 2,583 |
| FLS | Robin L. Rosenberg (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2924 | Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability | 2,427 |
| MA | Patti B. Saris (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-3029 | Covidien Hernia Mesh Products Liability (No. II) | 2,090 |
| AZ | David G. Campbell (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-3081 | Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability | 1,972 |
| CAN | Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3080 | Social Media Adolescent Addiction / Injury Litigation | 1,961 |
| OHN | J. Philip Calabrese (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3092 | Suboxone Film Products Liability | 1,882 |
| NYE | Nicholas G. Garaufis (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-3044 | Exactech Orthopedic Products Liability | 1,838 |
| NJ | Brian R. Martinotti (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3021 | Allergan Biocell Textured Breast Implants | 1,460 |
| NJ | Renee M. Bumb / Karen M. Williams (Chief Judges, USDC) | MDL-2875 | Valsartan, Losartan, Irbesartan Products Liability | 1,348 |
| PAW | Joy Flowers Conti (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-2243 | Fosamax (Alendronate Sodium) Products Liability (No. II) | 966 |
| PAE | Harvey Bartle, III (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-2873 | Philips CPAP & Ventilator Recall Litigation | 833 |
| PAE | Harvey Bartle, III (Sr. District Judge) | MDL-2848 | Zostavax (Zoster Vaccine Live) Products Liability | 826 |
| FLN | M. Casey Rodgers (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3140 | Depo-Provera (Medroxyprogesterone) Products Liability | 806 |
| ILN | Rebecca R. Pallmeyer (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3026 | Abbott Preterm Infant Nutrition (NEC) Litigation | 760 |
| NJ | Brian R. Martinotti (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2973 | Elmiron (Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium) Products Liability | 736 |
| ILN | Manish S. Shah (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2492 | NCAA Student-Athlete Concussion Injury Litigation | 586 |
| NJ | Brian R. Martinotti (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3083 | Insulin Pricing Litigation | 439 |
| NYS | Landya B. McCafferty (Chief Judge, USDC) | MDL-2753 | Atrium C-Qur Mesh Products Liability | 390 |
| NYS | George B. Daniels (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-2800 | September 11 Terrorist Attacks Litigation | 367 |
| LAE | Jane Triche Milazzo (U.S. District Judge) | MDL-3023 | Taxotere (Docetaxel) Eye Injury Products Liability | 364 |