As 2025 approaches, the legal landscape is set to be shaped significantly by ongoing and emerging mass tort litigations. These cases stretch across various sectors, emphasizing the complex interactions between law, health, and corporate practices.
In recent developments, cases against major chemical producers regarding Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals,” are escalating. PFAS are synthetic chemicals known for their persistence in the environment and human body, raising significant health concerns. These substances, prevalent in many consumer goods and industrial applications, have led to settlements surpassing $11 billion with U.S. water systems alone. Yet, thousands of personal injury claims continue to pile up, primarily centered around cancer cases linked to exposure through firefighting foam.
This litigation is concentrated in South Carolina’s federal courts, where pivotal bellwether trials are slated for next year. Beyond these, emerging claims may include exposure instances through consumer product packaging, marking a possible expansion in the scope of PFAS litigation.
Another critical battleground involves litigation against social media conglomerates like Meta, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, Google, and others, accused of fueling teen addiction and mental health crises. Schools and families argue that these platforms have forced them to allocate hefty resources to combat these issues, and significant legal milestones are anticipated in 2025. A California federal judge has scheduled October for the first bellwether trials, potentially setting a precedent for future cases.
The discourse around Bayer’s Roundup weedkiller and its active ingredient glyphosate also continues. Bayer faces over 50,000 claims that glyphosate causes cancer, despite settling previously for approximately $10.9 billion in 2020. The ongoing trials could push the company toward another substantial settlement or propel them to pursue a definitive legal victory, potentially appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve regulatory preemption matters.
In another sector, litigation around baby formulas specifically made for preterm infants is gaining attention. Companies like Abbott and Reckitt Benckiser’s Mead Johnson have been hit with severe verdicts totaling hundreds of millions due to claims that their products cause necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe bowel condition in infants. Despite some victories, nearly 1,000 cases are still pending, underscoring potential implications for both financial and medical practice realms.
Moreover, a burgeoning area of litigation concerns the health impacts of “ultra-processed” foods. A groundbreaking case initiated by an 18-year-old from Pennsylvania against twelve major food corporations claims that such foods contributed to his chronic health conditions, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. This case could either open the floodgates for similar claims or falter due to the challenges in defining “ultra-processed” foods and pinpointing culpable ingredients.
As these cases unfold, they will not only shape legal precedents but also influence public health policies and corporate practices across industries. The outcomes could lead to stricter regulations and potentially, broader societal shifts in consumer protection and corporate accountability.
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