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.
Franklin is an incorporated town located in Franklin Township, within the Nantahala National Forest, in Macon County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,490. It is the county seat of Macon County. The Franklin, North Carolina area is rich in gems and minerals and is known as the "Gem Capital of The World."