Why Mass Torts Silence Dissent

Words have power. In courtrooms, they document wrongdoing and immortalize truth in public records. When plaintiffs tell their stories before judges and juries, something profound happens—they feel heard and respected.

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Study after study confirms this: people who get voice opportunities view procedures as more neutral, trust decisionmakers more, and feel treated with respect.

But in mass torts? That voice is systematically silenced. From my co-authored study of MDL plaintiffs, participants said:

"Nobody got to hear from me or my husband and children who all suffered as a result of my injuries."

"I just feel like my voice was not heard and that I was lumped into a group of people that were just given X amount of dollars."

"I feel that the judicial system is treating this serious matter just like a mass production of a product and not as legal human suffering cases where people's lives are at stake."

Another simply said: "We never got to appear in court."

This is the crisis of modern mass litigation: efficiency has replaced dignity. Speed has replaced story. Settlement grids have replaced human testimony.When we silence plaintiffs, we don't just deny them compensation—we deny them recognition and accountability.

Words empower. Silence erases. Let's make courts work for the people who need them.