As 2024 draws to a close, we want to reflect back on the pivotal legal developments that defined this year. From environmental disasters to defective products and the growing concern over social media-related harm, these issues underscore the ever-evolving, relentless pursuit of justice and accountability.
Camp Lejeune: A Year of Growth and Challenges
This year marked significant progress in the Camp Lejeune water contamination litigation. The August 10, 2024, deadline for filing claims under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act resulted in a surge of claims, with the U.S. Navy receiving over 546,500 submissions from individuals affected by decades of toxic water exposure at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. This number made the Camp Lejeune litigation one of the largest injury cases in history.
The sheer volume of administrative claims filed even surpassed the nearly 400,000 lawsuits tied to 3M Co.'s military-issue earplugs, which was previously considered the largest multidistrict litigation in history in terms of the number of lawsuits.
The Camp Lejeune Water Contamination litigation is poised to become the largest recovery for veterans since World War II. Unlike any previous mass tort litigation, the Camp Lejeune case introduced an unprecedented claims filing process, facilitated by the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022. This act uniquely waived the usual statute of repose, enabling claims to be filed regardless of how long ago the exposure occurred, and introduced an Elective Option that simplifies the compensation process, allowing for predetermined payouts without extensive legal proof. Our Camp Lejeune Litigation platform has been instrumental in streamlining this complex process, empowering law firms to serve their clients more effectively. The platform offers comprehensive tools for client intake, data management, and administrative filing, all specifically tailored to the Camp Lejeune Water Contamination litigation.
NEC Lawsuits: Landmark Verdicts and Continuing Battles
In a groundbreaking verdict on July 26, 2024, a jury ruled that Abbott Laboratories' cow’s milk-based formula contributed to a severe gastrointestinal condition known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a premature Illinois infant. The condition disproportionately affects premature infants due to their underdeveloped immune systems and has been linked to the use of cow’s milk-based products in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
TorHoerman Law secured a $495 million verdict for the mother of the infant who had developed NEC after consuming cow’s milk-based formula. The mother’s journey to justice began when she was directed to SimplyConvert’s Instant Case Evaluator™. Within minutes, she had started the evaluation process, received confirmation that she might have a case, and signed a retainer agreement—all without waiting for a call back. The ability to assess cases quickly and offer immediate responses has proven essential in securing such landmark victories.
This landmark case, one of hundreds of similar claims pending across the country, marked the first trial and win against Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Similac formula, widely used in NICUs.
Social Media Harm: A Growing Frontier
The impact of social media platforms on mental health, particularly among teens, became a significant focus in 2024. The U.S. Surgeon General called for Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms, citing the detrimental effects on mental health, especially for students. Schools across the nation have also begun exploring restrictions on smartphone use to address these concerns.
Meanwhile, litigation against Big Tech platforms, including Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok, gained momentum. Recent court rulings allowed negligence and public nuisance claims filed by school districts to proceed and upheld consumer claims brought by over 30 state attorneys general against social media companies for alleged misrepresentations, marking a significant step in holding tech giants accountable for their role in the mental health crisis.
SimplyConvert helps law firms nationwide outline case criteria, gather clients whose children suffered mental health impacts, and hold social media platforms accountable. With 24/7 onboarding and real-time updates, it streamlines intake, empowering firms to efficiently manage complex cases. The Social Media Harm Case Criteria Guide outlines basic criteria, including the conditions that have been diagnosed and treated, to qualify for the social media litigation. When this criteria is met, law firms can choose to manually send contracts or utilize available automated tools to immediately ask qualified individuals to sign a retainer.
2025 and Beyond: Technological Advancements
This year saw the growing influence of artificial intelligence across industries, with the legal field no exception. It also marked a significant advancement in legal technology, as new tools were introduced to improve outcomes for both clients and law firms. SimplyConvert introduced several cutting-edge solutions, including CaseHQ™, a revolutionary client portal and mobile app designed to streamline communication and centralize client activities into one secure platform. With features like push notifications, secure messaging, and e-signature integration, CaseHQ™ ensures transparency and efficiency throughout the client’s legal journey, reflecting our commitment to enhancing the capabilities of law firms through technology.
Additionally, SimplyConvert previewed the Camp Lejeune Archive and Timeline Builder™. This tool uses AI to understand, process, and generate human-like text about specific Marines and their families who lived, worked, and trained at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987. It searches an extensive collection of over one million historical documents, tracing the steps of individuals who passed through Camp Lejeune during these years. Not only does this tool offer historical and genealogical value, but it is also specifically designed to prove exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, providing the essential details required by the Department of Justice for compensation claims.
Overall, this year showed the legal world is booming with client intake and case updates, and our technology must be able to keep up. As we move into 2025, the legal industry’s reliance on automation and innovative tools will continue to grow. SimplyConvert remains committed to empowering law firms to handle even the most complex cases with confidence, care, and cutting-edge technology. Schedule a demo today to discover how SimplyConvert can transform client intake for your law firm.
