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:
December 2025
The Hottest in Mass Tort Spending: November 2025
Birth Control Injections
Featured Tort
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Published: December, 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 continues to dominate the Hot Tort Report, fueled by consistent multi-channel investment and steady claimant interest. While other torts shuffled position, BCI held its lead with balanced performance across every major advertising channel.
We’re seeing slight cooling in traditional TV spend, but digital remains blazing. Meta ads still carry weight, and PPC activity, though modest, adds another spark that keeps this tort burning bright. Law firms are confident in the long-term viability and volume of these cases, and they’re investing accordingly.
CPA: $1,153
CPL: $680
For common criteria, please contact us.
#2 Chemical Hair Straightener
The Chemical Hair Straightener mass tort surged back into the top tier this month, tying with Talcum Powder for second place after a major rebound in digital activity. With Meta approaching 5 points and PPC at its max, this tort’s heat is entirely online. No TV spend, but plenty of engagement from targeted digital campaigns.
This tort’s digital flame is burning bright again, showing that even without broadcast investment, the right digital mix can spark serious traction. Firms are leaning into high-performing Meta creatives and PPC campaigns to reach audiences affected by the well-publicized cancer concerns tied to chemical relaxers.
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.
#3 Talcum Powder
Talcum Powder holds its ground in the top three this month, tying with Chemical Hair Straightener at #2. With Meta scoring 4.2 and steady advertiser engagement, this tort’s digital presence stays hot even without TV spend.
The latest spark comes from the FDA’s withdrawal of its proposed asbestos testing rule, which would have required standardized testing for asbestos. The agency cited complex scientific and legal concerns, leaving manufacturers and litigators in limbo.
The rule’s withdrawal keeps the conversation alive and the spotlight burning on talc-related cancer claims heading into 2026.
CPA: $940
CPL: $470
For common criteria, please contact us.
#4 Roblox Child Abuse
The Roblox Child Abuse tort debuts this month at #4, entering the rankings with major momentum from new legal and media fire. A California judge’s ruling kept a high-profile abuse case against Roblox in open court rather than private arbitration, signaling that similar claims could follow. Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit alleging widespread failures to protect minors on the platform.
These developments have ignited national attention and rapid claimant interest. With both courtroom exposure and state-level action intensifying, Roblox finds itself squarely in the legal spotlight. For advertisers, this emerging tort is heating up fast, showing how online-platform accountability could become one of 2026’s most vital categories of litigation.
For metrics such as CPA, CPL, and common criteria, please contact us.
#5 Rideshare Assault
Rideshare Assault stays hot this month with the first federal bellwether trial set for January 13, 2026. More than 2,800 lawsuits are now consolidated in the MDL, alleging that rideshare companies failed to protect passengers from assault.
With trial proceedings imminent and national attention intensifying, this tort is poised to be one of 2026’s most closely watched cases.
For metrics such as CPA, CPL, and common criteria, please contact us.
#6 Paraquat
Paraquat saw new action from the EPA, which announced plans to request additional data after identifying greater uncertainty about the chemical’s potential to volatilize and drift from treated fields. The review reignites national attention on the herbicide’s health risks, including its alleged link to Parkinson’s disease.
CPA: $711
CPL: $320
Common Criteria: Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease or experiencing Parkinson’s-like symptoms after exposure to Paraquat.
#7 Takata Airbag Recall
Airbag Recall heats up again after BMW announced a new recall of early-model X5 SUVs potentially containing stray Takata inflators. The discovery renews focus on one of the largest and most persistent safety defects in automotive history.
The Takata inflators are known to explode under pressure, sending metal fragments into the cabin and causing serious injuries or death. With new recalls still surfacing decades after the original crisis, public awareness and legal attention are rising once more.
For metrics such as CPA, CPL, and common criteria, please contact us.
#8 Dupixent®
Dupixent® holds its position in the top ten this month as lawsuits continue alleging that the drug may increase the risk of rare skin-related cancers, including Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. Plaintiffs maintain that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn about these potential risks.
While regulatory reviews and filings persist, activity has remained consistent rather than growing. For now, Dupixent® stays warm, not cooling, but not climbing, as advertisers watch to see whether future safety data reignites broader interest.
For metrics such as CPA, CPL, and common criteria, please contact us.
#9 Roundup®
Roundup® cools slightly this month after a Georgia court vacated a March 2025 plaintiff verdict through a consent judgment, dismissing the case with prejudice. The move reflects Monsanto’s ongoing strategy to settle or overturn post-trial wins.
While momentum has eased, with thousands of cases still pending, Roundup® continues to smolder as one of the longest-running and most closely watched mass torts.
CPA: $1,238
CPL: $743
For common criteria, please contact us.
#10 Video Game Addiction
Gaming Addiction holds onto its spot in the top ten as new lawsuits continue targeting major video game companies over alleged design choices that encourage compulsive play. Cases center on claims that features like loot boxes and daily rewards exploit psychological reinforcement similar to gambling.
While filings have slowed, steady coverage and ongoing consolidation in the California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding keep this tort warm. With more families stepping forward and tech accountability under growing scrutiny, Gaming Addiction remains a steady ember heading into 2026.
CPA: $376
CPL: $169
Common Criteria: Child must be under 18 and spend 4+ hours per day, 5+ days per week, playing Minecraft, Fortnite, GTA 5, or Call of Duty. The child must also experience one or more of the following: addiction, poor school performance, school dropout, cognitive or developmental delays, chronic depression or anxiety, or self-harm/suicidal behavior.
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.
