About the new and improved Hot Tort Report
Being industry experts, we pride ourselves on keeping our finger on the pulse of all things Multi District Litigation. This predominantly consists of providing our subscribers with competitive insights into where the money is being spent in hopes of informing your blueprint for advertising strategies. These cases can be highly lucrative, but are difficult to acquire, requiring significant investment and patience to secure high-value cases.
We’ve been working hard on an algorithm to deliver more than just monthly TV spends and are proud to announce that we are ready to unveil our HTR 2.0.
This new list offers an overview of dollars spent across TV, Meta, PPC, and more, assigning a score to each tort based on what we, as leaders in the law firm advertising space, are witnessing across these various platforms.
The Hot Tort Report:
October 2025
The Hottest in Mass Tort Spending: September 2025
Birth Control Injections
Featured Tort
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Published: October, 2025. Advertising spend from multiple sources for a recent 30 day period.
If you have any questions, please contact us at national@whitehardt.com
#1 Birth Control Injections
Birth Control Injections held onto the crown in September. WHii spiked, TV dipped, Meta stayed flat, and PPC slid from 2.0 to 1.0, a reminder that search spend is the wild card in this report.
In court, the heat is on. At the September 29 case management conference, the judge heard extended arguments on Pfizer’s push for summary judgment. Plaintiffs argue Pfizer sat on critical safety data linking Depo-Provera to meningiomas, while Pfizer claims the FDA tied its hands on stronger warnings. With hundreds of cases on the line, the ruling could reset the battlefield.
CPA: $1,153
CPL: $680
For common criteria, please contact us.
#2 Paraquat
Paraquat jumped into the number two spot in September with WHii, TV, and PPC all climbing while Meta stayed maxed out. The broad lift shows advertisers are doubling down.
In court, the October 2025 trial was wiped from the calendar. Judge Rosenstengel extended the stay through January 2026 to give settlement talks more room to run. For firms, that means momentum is shifting from trial prep to payouts, and the reinvestment wave is already reflected in the rankings. Paraquat is the tort to watch this fall.
CPA: $711
CPL: $320
Common Criteria: Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease or experiencing Parkinson’s-like symptoms after exposure to Paraquat.
#4 Talcum Powder
Talcum Powder surged into third place this month, nearly doubling WHii and more than doubling Meta activity. J&J continues to wrestle with tens of thousands of unresolved cases, despite years of settlements and repeated bankruptcy maneuvers. Renewed spend here shows firms are betting long-term, with claims tying talc to ovarian cancer still pressing forward. With digital engagement heating up, Talcum Powder is holding its ground as one of the most durable mass torts.
CPA: $940
CPL: $470
For common criteria, please contact us.
#5 Clergy Abuse
The Clergy Abuse mass tort made it into the top five in September as WHii and TV spending ticked up. Meta stayed maxed out, while PPC sat at zero. With digital activity steady and TV spend rising, this tort is holding momentum and showing staying power in the rankings.
For metrics such as CPA, CPL, and common criteria, please contact us.
#6 Takata Airbag Recall
A small bump in TV spend wasn’t enough to offset the decline for this tort, and with Meta at zero, it is now leaning almost entirely on television to stay visible.
Even so, Takata remains one of the longest-running product liability cases. Dozens of claims are still active in the MDL, and consumer focus reignites with each new recall announcement. Despite losing ground in the rankings, Takata continues to draw steady spend and holds its place as a veteran tort in the landscape.
For metrics such as CPA, CPL, and common criteria, please contact us.
#7 Diabetes Meds for Weight Loss
Diabetes Meds for Weight Loss slipped to seventh as PPC dropped to zero. WHii stayed strong at 5.0, while Meta dipped to 2.2. With no TV spend in the mix, this tort is depending on organic buzz and targeted digital to stay in play.
CPA: $136 – $728
CPL: $68 – $364
Common Criteria: Took a prescription diabetes drug for weight loss (e.g. Ozempic, Mounjaro), discontinued use of the drug, and experienced one or more gastrointestinal disorders at least 30 days after your first dose.
#8 Roundup®
Roundup® slid to number eight this month as WHii dipped, but PPC surged and maxed out at 2.0. Roundup’s® momentum is almost entirely digital.
Even from a lower position, Roundup® is still one of the biggest mass torts in play. Bayer continues to pour billions into settlements, but tens of thousands of claims remain unresolved. With PPC maxed out, advertisers are working to grab what’s left of the case volume. This is proof that while visibility may be cooling, Roundup’s® financial weight is far from gone.
CPA: $1,238
CPL: $743
For common criteria, please contact us.
#9 Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune punched back into the top ten at number nine after months away. WHii saw an uptick, Meta held steady at 3.0, and TV added a modest lift, while PPC stayed at zero. With claims in the hundreds of thousands and government response timelines under scrutiny, this tort’s return shows it still has staying power for firms chasing volume-driven campaigns.
Common Criteria: Injured party resided, worked, or was otherwise exposed to the water supply at Camp Lejeune (including in utero exposure) for 30 days or more (consecutive or nonconsecutive); AND exposure occurred between 1953 and 1987; AND injured party was diagnosed with one or more of the following injuries after exposure: Cancer (Bladder cancer, Breast cancer, Esophageal cancer, Kidney cancer, Leukemia, Liver cancer, Lung cancer, Multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), Female infertility, Hepatic steatosis, Miscarriage, Myelodysplastic syndromes, Neurobehavioral effects, Parkinson’s disease, Renal toxicity, Scleroderma.
For CPA and CPL, please contact us.
#10 Chemical Hair Straightener
Chemical Hair Straightener returned to the top ten in September, landing at the bottom of our list. With no TV presence, firms are keeping this tort alive through digital.
Claims link long-term hair relaxer use to uterine and other cancers, with hundreds of suits consolidated and more expected. Its comeback in the rankings points to renewed investment as firms gear up for the next litigation phase. For advertisers, this tort offers a chance to re-enter just as competition starts to heat up again.
CPA: $717
CPL: $430
Common Criteria: Diagnosis of uterine cancer: endometrial cancer or uterine sarcoma; applied professionally or at-home application; used for at least 2 years AND usage must be at least 4 times per year; not currently a smoker.
Mesothelioma
You may be noticing a tort missing from our new report. While Mesothelioma continues to dominate the competition when it comes to spend levels, Whitehardt finds that this tort is its own niche animal. These cases can be extremely fruitful, but hard to come by, requiring a high buy-in to get in the game and patience when landing that ringer of a case. We believe that Meso will remain a constant for some time, but in regards to many of the other drugs and devices we focus on in this monthly report, we’ve decided to move it to its own category. If you are interested in hearing the latest news on Meso or how Whitehardt may be currently seeking these cases, you can contact us here.
Whitehardt will continue to track meso spending from month to month, so if you are interested in ongoing meso spending, please reach out to us directly. Going forward, we will be excluding meso from these tort reports.
