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.
Peshastin is a small unincorporated community in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The community's roots are found in the 'Peshastin Ditch' dug by pioneers beginning in 1889. This ditch was an important part of the overall irrigation system in the area, delivering water to the orchards on the slopes above Cashmere. The town was first platted in the early 1890s by two brothers, J. Q. Gilbert and A. C Gilbert. It is also noted on an 1895 map of the area, indicating it was in existence by then. Today, Peshastin is still a small community with one elementary school and a library.