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.
New Glarus is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, United States at the intersection of Wisconsin Highways 69 and 39. It has a population of 2,111 according to the 2000 census. The village, as well as the town that surrounds it, was named after the Canton of Glarus in eastern Switzerland because of its founding in 1845 by immigrants from there. Incorporated in 1901, New Glarus is a popular tourist destination best known for its Swiss heritage, old world architecture, ethnic dining, and outdoor festivals. New Glarus has maintained much of its Swiss heritage and many old world traditions. More than 160 years after it was founded, Swiss-style chalets and flower boxes filled with red geraniums still grace the streets of the village. Swiss flags fly next to the American flag at many businesses and homes. Old World meat markets, restaurants, and a Swiss bakery are also found in downtown New Glarus, along with folk art, museums, and Swiss-style shops. Many Swiss customs are still alive in New Glarus, including the card game Yass, yodeling, and flag tossing.