A mass tort is a civil action involving numerous plaintiffs against one or a few corporate defendants. The tort may involve, for example, personal injuries suffered by numerous plaintiffs as a result of a defective product, or a mass disaster in which there were many injured persons, such as an airplane crash, or exposure of a large group of people to toxic chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
The community of Coyote (originally Burnett) is located in Coyote Valley on Coyote Creek between south San Jose, California, and north Morgan Hill, California, on Monterey Highway (the former Highway 101). Its ZIP Code is 95013; there is a small U. S. Post Office. Geographical coordinates are 37°12′59″N, 121°44′20″W. Coyote is notable for its historic Grange Hall close to the Post Office and the Metcalf Energy Center. The town's name was changed because residents saw many coyotes in the area. The town nearly disappeared after highway 101 was rerouted 1 mile east of the city. The community was nearly absorbed by San Jose, California by urban sprawl until the dot com bust canceled the city's plans, San Jose however still owns the area after purchasing it in that era.