A toxic tort is a lawsuit that becomes established by virtue of the plaintiff, or a group of plaintiffs, being illegally exposed to chemical hazards, such as through emissions of toxic substances in a manufacturing process. When a person is negatively affected by the presence of such a substance, they can join forces with other affected persons in a class action lawsuit and gain punitive damages or they can speak with an attorney about filing an individual lawsuit.
Toxic torts can be related to any exposure to a chemical substance either by exposure within the home or in an occupational setting, or even through use of a consumer product.