To prevail in a toxic tort lawsuit, the plaintiffs bear the burden of proving that there was a negligent release of a toxic substance that caused damages. Proving the release and existence of damages typically are not difficult elements. Establishing that a specific toxic substance caused a specific illness or injury such as cancer or disease is often the most difficult part. This will require reliable expert testimony and often will require expensive testing. Because these cases may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions to bring to trial, there must be substantial damages to justify bringing toxic tort claims. Often, toxic tort lawyers will join together and/or refer these cases to share/spread the costs out.