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.
Firebaugh (formerly, Firebaugh's Ferry) is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 5,743 as of the 2000 census. ZIP Code for the community is 93622 and the city is located inside area code 559. Firebaugh is located on the west side of the San Joaquin River 38 miles (61 km) west of Fresno, at an elevation of 151 feet (46 m). Inside the city, a small commercial district includes the ubiquitous California Central Valley water tank painted with the city's name. State Route 33 (SR 33) runs through downtown just west of center. The San Joaquin Valley Railroad, West Side Subdivision, passes through downtown. Outside of city, the area is almost entirely agricultural land in all directions. Most fields of irrigated row crops along SR33 are feed crops such as alfalfa.