Complex Trial

Maine Trial Lawyers Handling the Most Complex Trial Matters

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Maine’s Most Complicated Cases Require Maine’s Best Trial Lawyers

There are 1.34 million lawyers in the United States and over 5,300 here in Maine alone. But the number of attorneys with the skills, experience, and resources to successfully handle complex litigation matters is limited. In Maine, there is one law firm that has assembled a team of the most accomplished trial lawyers in New England who are uniquely well-suited to represent clients in the most complex and consequential cases.

The trial lawyers at Berman & Simmons provide exceptional representation in a wide range of complex matters that require a higher level of advocacy. Our attorneys possess the talents and traits that are indispensable in these cases: an understanding and mastery of varied and complex subject matters and theories of liability and damages, the resources to review and process thousands of case documents, and the ability to work with many and various witnesses and experts.

The bottom line: Berman & Simmons’ attorneys will never be outworked by our adversaries, nor will we be intimidated by powerful and well-funded defendants determined to avoid responsibility for the damage and losses they cause.

Sophisticated Representation in a Wide Range of Complex Cases

Berman & Simmons’ trial lawyers have successfully represented clients in lawsuits involving a wide range of subjects and issues including:

  • Product defect claims
  • Mass tort litigation, including dangerous drugs and medical devices
  • Class action litigation
  • Toxic tort litigation
  • Professional malpractice

Over $1.35 Billion Recovered for Our Clients

Berman & Simmons is widely recognized as Maine’s best personal injury and medical malpractice law firm. We bring that same commitment to excellence to the complex litigation matters we handle. With unmatched resources, in-depth knowledge, and determined advocacy, we have built an impressive track record of success in these complicated cases, obtaining large verdicts against major auto manufacturers, Fortune 500 companies, and other powerful defendants. We have recovered over $1.35 billion for our clients, earning their trust and obtaining positive outcomes for over 100 years.

Attorneys Jodi and Susan talking in conference room

Call Us Today for Your Free Consultation

Please contact Berman & Simmons today at (207)784-3576 to arrange for your free consultation. You pay nothing unless we obtain compensation for you by settlement or jury verdict. Our Maine complex trial attorneys welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can help you.

Get Peace of Mind

It never hurts to consult an attorney regardless of whether you decide to move forward.

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    Many states have strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims.

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    The other insurance company is likely already building their client’s case against you.

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    Witnesses may become unavailable and evidence may be lost or degraded with time.

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    You’ll need help navigating your medical care and dealing with financial pressures.

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    You need peace of mind to focus on your recovery.

$8.5 Million

Paralysis due to mismanagement of
degenerative spine

$2.5 Million

Catastrophic injuries in a head-on car accident

$800,000

Wrongful death case involving negligent
motorist

$715,000

Plaintiff Rear Ended by
Telephone Truck

$5 Million

Delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer

$1.2 Million

Significant Head Injury Car Accident

Contact Us Today

Complex Trial FAQs

  • What is a mass tort lawsuit?

    Mass tort cases stem from a defective drug or device on the market that harms a large number of people. Some of these cases are well-publicized, while many others never make headlines, but cause just as much pain to the people whose lives are affected.

    Mass tort claims can include different complaints against the same defendant(s), and often involve injuries from dangerous drugs and medical products.  For instance, patients can sue the maker of a defective medical implant for different types of injuries. In a mass tort case, they would file individual lawsuits, which are grouped together only for pretrial proceedings, and then they may be tried later in their original state jurisdiction.

    Prescription drug and medical device makers are legally responsible for ensuring that their products are safe
    and must:

    • Conduct adequate clinical trials and other testing as the FDA requires
    • Clearly explain the risks and benefits of their products to healthcare providers and consumers
    • Continue to test their products for safety

    When corporations fail to satisfy any of these or other requirements, they can be held liable to the people they harm. Dangerous drug and medical device lawsuits involve complex medical and legal issues and are expensive to pursue.

  • Why are some medications dangerous?

    There are a number of reasons why medications can be dangerous, including:

    • Drug companies sometimes fail to conduct the studies needed to identify risks that emerge after approval.
    • Failure by a drug manufacturer to properly warn the medical community and consumers about risks.
    • Marketing of medication for uses not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    More than 30 dangerous drugs have been approved and later taken off the market because of serious health risks since the 1970s. These drugs have killed or seriously injured thousands of Americans. Dozens of other dangerous drugs remain available. Some of them come with warnings from the FDA, but those warnings are not always clear or
    well communicated.

    All of these failures come back to the basic principle of accountability. Drug manufacturers can and should be
    held legally accountable if they put consumers at risk.

  • What types of mass tort claims are most common?

    Mass tort categories typically fall into three types:

    • Prescription drugs
    • Product liability, which includes medical devices: Claims typically fall into three categories: 1) defective manufacture, 2) defective design, 3) failure to provide adequate warnings or instructions concerning the proper use of a product.
    • Toxic contamination: Also known as “toxic torts,” these cases involve hazardous pollutants or chemicals that have poisoned people.
  • Which types of mass tort cases does Berman & Simmons handle?

    Berman & Simmons handles defective medical device and dangerous, prescription drug, product liability, and toxic contamination cases.

  • What are the skills needed to handle mass tort cases?

    Mass tort cases require extraordinary resources and highly sophisticated knowledge. It takes an understanding and mastery of varied and complex subject matter and theories of liability and damages, the time necessary to review and process thousands of case documents, and the ability to work with many witnesses and experts. Our lawyers have the skills and tenacity to prepare a mass tort case no matter how complex.

  • What if I was harmed by or experience abnormal side effects from a medical device?

    Companies have an obligation to ensure that the product they sell is a safe, effective solution to any medical issue you might experience. When a company doesn’t fulfill this obligation, it can leave you with injuries that degrade your quality of life.  If you believe you might have a claim, contact our lawyers at Berman & Simmons. We will fairly and accurately assess your case.

  • If I’ve experienced complications from a dangerous drug, do I have a tort claim?

    Complications from dangerous drugs can vary in severity. Because of this, it’s difficult to determine if a tort claim is feasible. To get a fair and accurate assessment of your potential case, contact our attorneys at Berman & Simmons. We handle many cases involving dangerous drugs and medical devices and can let you know if we can help you with a tort claim.

  • What if the drug I took was a generic brand?

    According to the FDA, generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the original brand-name drug. All manufacturing, packaging, and testing sites must also pass the same quality standards as the brand-name drug.

    The Supreme Court has determined that generic drug makers are not liable for any negative side effects; the original manufacturer is. (See PLIVA, Inc. v. Mensing, 564 U.S. 604 and Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. v. Bartless, 570 U.S. 2468.)

  • What is the process for a mass tort claim?

    These are the basic steps:

    • Review records – We examine statements from claimants and their medical records to identify the device or drug and injuries.
    • Injury consistency – We check for similarity of injuries among those harmed by drugs or devices as evidence for the claim and categorize the cases to understand any shared characteristics.
    • Federal court filing – Individual cases are consolidated to speed up processing and information gathering.
    • Bellwether trials – A small group of lawsuits, chosen from a larger group of similar cases, are tried first. The results can determine the potential outcomes of future cases. As an example, C.R. Bard, the maker of the inferior vena cava (IVC) filter G2, will pay plaintiff Sherr-Una Booker $3.6 million for injuries she suffered from the device and for failure to warn about its dangers in the first IVC “bellwether” case to go to trial.
    • Settlement – This occurs when both parties enter negotiations to settle the claims, and any proposed agreements are presented to claimants to decide whether they will accept them or proceed to a trial.
  • How long does a mass tort claim take?

    Because mass tort claims can involve multiple plaintiffs, they can take longer than  typical personal injury cases. Generally, these cases take years before resolution.

    There are statutes of limitations in medical device and dangerous drug cases, so it’s important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible if you believe you have a claim.

  • What type of damages can I claim in a mass tort case?

    Under state and federal law, victims of dangerous drugs have the right to recover financial damages for various categories of loss, including:

    • Current and future medical bills
    • Lost work time related to your injury
    • Disability and disfigurement
    • Pain and suffering
    • Mental and emotional damages

    If you have been harmed by a dangerous drug or a defective medical device, we are prepared to stand up for you and your family. Our team of experienced lawyers will hold companies accountable and make sure you receive full compensation for the harm done to you.

  • What is a class action lawsuit?

    In class action lawsuits, several plaintiffs who sue a defendant are grouped together into one “class.” One or a few plaintiffs can be named as representatives of the class. For instance, a class action lawsuit can occur when several consumers sue an automaker for producing faulty auto parts.

  • What is a multidistrict litigation (MDL) lawsuit?

    Mass tort cases can be grouped together only for pretrial proceedings and become multidistrict litigation for federal trials, and then the individual cases may be tried later in their original state jurisdictions. MDL is a way to speed up processing and information gathering.

  • What is the difference between a mass tort, class action, and multi district litigation (MDL) lawsuit?

    Mass tort cases stem from a defective drug or device on the market that harms many people. Multidistrict litigation occurs when individual mass tort cases are combined to streamline the legal process. Class actions, however, do not always involve injury claims and cover one complaint with common characteristics.

  • What is a bellwether case?

    Bellwether trials play an important role in determining the potential outcomes of future mass torts going through MDL. These cases, a small set of lawsuits chosen from a larger group of similar cases, are tried to see how juries will react to them and to set expectations for possible settlement values. For example, C.R. Bard, the maker of the inferior vena cava (IVC) filter G2, was ordered by a jury to  pay plaintiff Sherr-Una Booker $3.6 million for injuries she suffered from the device and for failure to warn about its dangers in the first IVC “bellwether” case to go to trial.

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