In American sports, the final four are the last four teams in a playoff tournament. Usually, the final four compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament’s semi-final game. To make it to the final four, the teams must beat many other competitors; some of whom had better records or ranked higher. Similarly, at MTI, the final four firms have had to fight and beat big companies whose war chests are in the trillions of dollars. Their performance in significant cases, including key rulings, victories at trial, and settlements have resulted in billions of dollars in recovery to victims. What sets these final four firms apart are the resources and talent they bring to the table and their willingness to take on large cases and persevere, in the face of adversity.
Weitz & Luxenburg
Weitz & Luxenburg has been one of the most successful law firms representing clients exposed to asbestos, recovering $8.5 billion over the past 30 years. They have a 500-member team of attorneys and support staff dedicated to helping their clients receive the maximum amount of compensation for their injuries and economic losses. They have negotiated billion-dollar settlements for defective drugs and devices, and environmental pollution victims, and helped those harmed by consumer fraud accidents receive millions in compensation.
Recent Victory: $400 million settlement with Monsanto in Dicamba Multidistrict Litigation
As a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee Weitz & Luxenburg attorneys negotiated a settlement to pay up to $300 million to soybean producers whose crops suffered damage from the herbicide dicamba. The farmers represented in the MDL allege they suffered economic damages due to Monsanto’s decision to commercialize dicamba-resistant seeds without a safe formulation of the dicamba herbicide to spray on top of plants grown from those seeds.
Levin Papantonio
Over the past 66 years, Levin Papantonio Rafferty has successfully helped many thousands of clients throughout the country in every type of personal injury claim. They have received more than 150 jury verdicts in the amount of $1 million or more and achieved verdicts and settlements in excess of $4 billion. Making them a final four firm in our books.
Recent victory: $775 million settlement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Xarelto Multidistrict Litigation
Levin Papantonio Rafferty attorneys played a critical role in the global Xarelto settlement, serving as co-lead counsel in the MDL where more than 25,000 cases were filed. The plaintiffs claimed Xarelto’s manufacturers marketed the drug to doctors as an effective medication to prevent blood clots but failed to inform physicians that the drug could cause life-threatening complications. Thousands of patients and their families now say they suffered injuries such as internal bleeding, stroke, and death.
Anapol Weiss
Anapol Weiss is a national leader in personal injury, product liability and mass tort litigation, having successfully litigated thousands of cases in state and federal courts. Their personal injury lawyers have obtained billions of dollars in successful verdicts, settlements, and judgments on behalf of clients in a variety of mass tort, class action, environmental toxin, medical malpractice, and automobile accident lawsuits.
Recent victory: $225 million settlement with LivaNova/Sorin in 3T Heater-Cooler Device Multidistrict Litigation
As a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee Anapol Weiss attorneys negotiated a comprehensive resolution of the personal injury cases pending in the multidistrict litigation. Plaintiffs claimed the Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler System spread bacteria during health and lung surgeries, causing serious infections and deaths. Sorin recalled the 3T Heater-Cooler system in June 2015 citing its potential for contamination that could lead to nontuberculous mycobacteria, or NTM.
Seeger Weiss
With offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, their firm is primarily known for multidistrict mass torts and class actions in both state and federal courts, with a strong track record of landmark verdicts and settlements.
Recent victory: $785+ million in NFL concussion settlement claims approved
Seeger Weiss attorneys fought an uphill battle to obtain a landmark settlement that has led to life-changing benefits for former NFL players and their families. Beginning in 2011, nearly 5,000 former football players courageously sued the National Football League over head trauma they received during their NFL careers, which in many cases led to long-term neurocognitive diseases that are now believed to be associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The plaintiffs alleged that the NFK knew about the health risks for years, but hid that information from its players.
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The Mass Tort Institute is a consortium of industry leaders dedicated to providing education, training, and networking opportunities for those advocating on behalf of mass tort victims.
