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.
Ayer is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Originally part of Groton, it was incorporated in 1871 and became a major commercial railroad junction. The town was home to Camp STevens during the Civil War. Then Fort Devens, a federal army camp was established to train New England soldiers for World War I. Devens was a major influence in the area until its closure in 1994. The population was 7,287 at the 2000 census. For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Ayer, please see the articles on Ayer (CDP) and Devens, Massachusetts.