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.
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984. The latest residential population estimate was 34,675. The city is well-known for its nightlife, celebrity culture, and diverse atmosphere. The city has large gay, Jewish and eastern European populations. The area is informally referred to as "WeHo". The general plan describes the city as an urban village, interpreted by city residents as a neighborly, safe environment with a diversity of residents and businesses and streets that are green and walkable. West Hollywood is "urban" in the sense of traffic, nightlife, and general activity level, but the "village" component distinguishes the City from adjacent cities. This city is known as one of the largest gay villages in the United States. Although just 1.9 square miles in size, West Hollywood is one of the highest profile communities in the Los Angeles area, full of celebrities and nightlife, and due to its central location among the generally wealthy communities west of downtown Los Angeles. Goings-on in the city and surrounding areas are broadcast daily in media around the world, including on TMZ on TV from Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights Avenue (intersection actually in the city of Los Angeles).