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.
Hauppauge is a hamlet in the Town of Islip and the Town of Smithtown in Suffolk County, New York, United States. At the headwaters of the Nissequogue River, it derives its name from the Native American term for "overflowed land. " The Hauppauge Industrial Park, located at the edge of the hamlet, is the largest on Long Island, and by some accounts the second largest in the nation. The park has over 1,300 companies, and employs over 55,000 Long Islanders. The companies in the industrial park provide the tax revenue that makes up the bulk of the Hauppauge school district's budget. As a result, school taxes for residents are relatively low, while the budget for schools is actually higher than usual. It is noted for its well-funded schools, with multiple internet-accessible computers in every classroom and many after-school activities, including a drama club with over 200 members.