Our team has studied mass tort data extensively to develop a series of data pieces that are critical in analyzing and executing mass tort lead plaintiff generation campaigns. In this article, we have examined the cost per lead by mass tort, average lead to case conversion rate, average conversion rate by campaign maturity, and by the likely case value of the campaign.
There are a few major factors that are involved with cost per lead, which we will explore in more depth below. Broadly speaking, the factors that play the largest roles are:
- Defined case outcomes – Either bellwether trials have been completed with initial jury awards, or companies alleged to have produced faulty products have set aside money for trust funds or class action settlement awards.
- Scope of damages for plaintiffs – When the injuries are more severe, the cases are worth more with multipliers for both pain and suffering and lost wages factored into any jury award or settlement.
- Difficulty in establishing causality – Some cases are based on established causal links that have been known in both legal circles and the public at large for decades, like mesothelioma. Others are newer and the scientific link is less well-defined.
- Public knowledge of the risks of each product – There is a snowball effect when it comes to mass torts that is a sort of multiplier of the above factors. As more potential plaintiffs learn about mass tort data and outcomes, the number of people with stronger claims also grows, leading to higher costs per lead.
Below, we’ve done an analysis of seven of the most common mass torts and lead data, focusing specifically on cost but also conversion rates based on various dimensions.
Cost Per Lead by Mass Tort
| Tort Type | Estimated Cost Per Lead (USD) |
| Asbestos | $500 – $2,000 |
| Roundup (Glyphosate) | $400 – $1,500+ |
| CPAP (Philips Recall) | $500 – $1,500 |
| Bard PowerPort | $400 – $1,200 |
| 3M Earplugs | $500 – $2,000+ |
| Ozempic (GLP-1 Drugs) | $500 – $1,500+ |
Takeaways
- Asbestos and 3M Earplugs tend to have higher lead costs due to the large number of potential plaintiffs and the significant damages associated with these cases.
- Roundup, CPAP, and Ozempic have moderately high lead costs because of the complexity of the cases and the potential severity of the injuries.
- Bard PowerPort leads are on the lower to moderate end, but as these cases continue to grow, costs may increase due to competition.
Average Lead to Case Conversion Rate
| Tort Type | Medical Complexity | Conversion Rate (%) |
| 3M Earplugs | Low to Moderate | 10% to 15% |
| Asbestos | High | 10% to 15% |
| Bard PowerPort | Moderate | 6% to 14% |
| Ozempic (GLP-1 Drugs) | Moderate | 7% to 10% |
| Roundup (Glyphosate) | High | 5% to 10% |
| Paraquat | High | 5% to 10% |
| CPAP (Philips Recall) | Moderate | 5% to 12% |
Takeaways on Mass Tort Conversion by Type
- 3M Earplugs and Asbestos have the highest conversion rates due to clearer links between the products and injuries.
- Bard PowerPort also have relatively strong conversion rates, though medical complexity remains moderate.
- Ozempic, Roundup, and Paraquat have slightly lower conversion rates due to the challenges of proving medical causality between the drugs/substances and the conditions. This could change rapidly depending on expert testimony in bellwether cases.
- CPAP conversion rates are moderate but could vary depending on the severity of conditions like cancer or lung issues.
Average Conversion Rate by Campaign Maturity
As noted above, the snowball effect of mass tort awareness is a combination of multiple factors: plaintiff awareness, legal developments and potential damages/settlements available to claimants. Were one to imagine a graph that mirrored these trends, it would look like an inverted parabola on the left side, as awareness and legal developments continued to mount.
At peak awareness, the cost of leads is at its highest as all parties have the most information. After that period, the graph starts to follow a steady decline as the number of quality cases declines and the number of people aware of the mass tort decline. We have mapped the overall conversion rate ranges below.
Conversion Rate Progression Across Campaign Stages:
| Stage | Awareness Level | Conversion Rate (%) |
| Initial Stage | Low | 2% to 5% |
| Peak Awareness | High | 10% to 15% |
| Bellwether Case Results | Moderate to High | 8% to 12% |
| Final Stage | Low to Moderate | 3% to 7% |
Average Conversion Rate by Payout Value of Mass Tort Cases
The expected payout values are where mass tort leads start to differ somewhat significantly from the expected trend of “more information and higher payouts trend towards higher costs”. One example is 3M earplug lawsuit leads. These tend towards higher conversion rates in spite of the likely case value.
Here is where the demographics of plaintiffs can come in to play. In both cases, the majority of potential plaintiffs are former or current members of the military. With the amount of paperwork generated during one’s service, it is much easier for plaintiffs to have access to more records. This coincides with the medical complexity of the cases, where there’s a relatively strong link between carcinogens and cancer and earplug failure and hearing loss
| Tort Type | Likely Case Value (USD) | Medical Complexity | Conversion Rate (%) |
| Asbestos | $1,000,000 – $1,500,000 | High | 10% to 15% |
| Roundup (Glyphosate) | $100,000 – $500,000 | High | 5% to 10% |
| CPAP (Philips Recall) | $100,000 – $300,000 | Moderate | 5% to 12% |
| Bard PowerPort | $200,000 – $750,000 | Moderate | 6% to 14% |
| 3M Earplugs | $200,000 – $400,000 | Low to Moderate | 10% to 15% |
| Ozempic (GLP-1 Drugs) | $200,000 – $400,000 | Moderate | 7% to 10% |
| Paraquat | $300,000 – $750,000 | High | 5% to 10% |
Improving the Mass Tort Conversion Rate
All mass tort leads are subject to arbitrage: people are buying and selling leads based on publicly available knowledge and the results of past cases. The numbers go as far as to show that, with increased public awareness and likely case values tending to drive prices up, but also conversion rates.
Since public knowledge is a factor outside of one’s control, the levers to affect conversion rate are relatively small. However, it is not impossible to make a substantial difference on the conversion rate by improving various elements of the funnel used to garner and screen leads, specifically:
The Submission Form
The single most important element of a mass tort lead generation and conversion campaign is the submission form. It’s here that the criteria that weeds out weak plaintiffs is first used and it is here where questions about diagnoses and available documentation can first be used.
Intake Specialists
Whether intake specialists handle cases inside a law firm or on behalf of one, they should be considered the heroes of the mass tort lead generation process. They are the ones responsible for initially vetting claims and matching criteria with leads to ensure that mass tort firms are not following unlikely claimants towards dead ends. Ensuring they are incentivized by case results and not lead quantity will continue to be crucial to ensure their success is aligned with that of a firm.
Case Management Information Transfer
Given each case’s individual value based on contingency fees, effectively transferring highly qualified leads into a firm’s case management system is crucial to avoid any plaintiffs slipping through the gaps. For firms that are managing dozens or hundreds of cases, maintaining proper training and records checks can mean the difference of $40,000 to $120,000 if just a single case is caught before it goes missing.
Get Mass Tort Leads with Data and Evidence from Plaintiffs
Injury Case Claims has been serving mass tort law firms for more than 15 years and delivered more than 60,000 qualified leads in that time. Qualified, unlike our competitors, means that the leads match whatever stringent criteria partner law firms like yours set. We also provide dark web screening and biometric identity confirmation.
Using that and with the ability to transfer medical information and other paperwork from leads directly into popular case management systems, it’s easy to see why Injury Case Claims can provide the industry’s best guarantee: if a lead ends up not matching pre-agreed criteria, we’ll replace it within seven days at no cost. Learn more about our program and get your complimentary quote today.
