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Lone Pine Order: A legal order used in lawsuits involving many people who claim they were harmed by a hazardous substance. The order sets rules and deadlines for gathering evidence, including proof that each person was exposed to the substance, what harm they suffered, and how the substance caused the harm. If the plaintiffs don't follow the rules and deadlines, their claims may be dismissed.
Definition: A legal order used in toxic-tort lawsuits with multiple plaintiffs. It establishes deadlines and procedures for discovery, requiring plaintiffs to provide evidence and expert opinions to support their claims of exposure to hazardous substances, the injuries they suffered, and the cause of their injuries. Failure to comply with the order can result in the dismissal of the plaintiffs' claims.
Example: In the case of Lore v. Lone Pine Corp., the court issued a Lone Pine order to manage the large number of plaintiffs claiming injuries from exposure to toxic substances. The order required each plaintiff to provide specific evidence and expert opinions to support their claims. When some plaintiffs failed to comply with the order, their claims were dismissed.
Explanation: The Lone Pine order is used to streamline the discovery process in complex toxic-tort lawsuits. It helps ensure that plaintiffs have sufficient evidence to support their claims and prevents frivolous lawsuits. The Lore v. Lone Pine Corp. case is a famous example of the use of this order, as it resulted in the dismissal of some plaintiffs' claims for failure to comply with the order.