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After spending the last few years under siege from Roundup lawsuits, Bayer AG announced in a recent quarterly earnings report that it has tentatively settled 98,000 Roundup lawsuits. While it continues to work on settling the remaining Roundup cases, Bayer is telling investors that future Roundup liabilities will depend on the outcome of the company’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

About the Roundup Lawsuits

If you are reading this post, you probably already know about the downfall of the popular weedkiller Roundup and the mass tort litigation that it spawned. This section is for those that are new to the Roundup saga.

The 5^th bellwether trial in the 3M earplugs litigation wrapped up yesterday and as we write the jury is in its second day of deliberations. A significant piece of evidence in the trial will be a confidential Air Force Memorandum that defense counsel for 3M desperately fought to exclude from evidence. Just before trial, Judge M. Casey Rogers blasted defense counsel for trying yet again to get keep the memo out.

The 5^th Bellwether Case: Michelle Blum v. 3M

The trial that concluded on Thursday was the 5^th “bellwether case” in the massive 3M combat arms earplugs litigation which is the largest consolidated mass tort in U.S. history. Over 200,000 plaintiffs have filed earplug lawsuits against 3M  claiming that the company’s earplugs were defective and failed to protect them from hearing damage.

Several studies have found an association between cow’s milk-based infant formulas and necrotizing enterocolitis. As a result, plaintiffs have filed NEC infant formula lawsuits against Mead Johnson and Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturers of Enfamil and Similac, respectively. They allege that these formulas cause necrotizing enterocolitis.

This is what you need to know about infant formulas, necrotizing enterocolitis, the studies on the relationship between the two, and the recently filed baby formula lawsuits.

Infant formula types

Over the last 5 years, the size and scale of mass torts in MDLs (Multidistrict Litigation) has unprecedented levels. With over 250,000 claims, the 3M Earplugs MDL is now the single largest consolidated mass tort ever. Meanwhile, the Zantac MDL has grown to include over 140,000 claims.

Each of these massive MDLs is being overseen and managed by a single federal judge. This monumental feat of judicial administration has been made possible through the application of innovative new technologies and new judicial procedures such as electronic claims registries and administrative dockets.

Claim Registries and Administrative Dockets in Large MDLs

Yesterday, October 5, 2021, Bayer notched its very first courtroom victory in the Roundup litigation saga when a jury in Los Angeles County ruled that Roundup was “not a substantial factor” in causing a 10-year-old boy to develop Burkitt’s lymphoma. This is only the 4^th Roundup case to be decided by a jury. The first 3 resulted in massive losses for Bayer.

San Bernardino Justice Center

Aside from giving Bayer a much-needed moral victory, this verdict probably won’t have any impact on the future course of the Roundup lawsuits or settlement payouts. This case presented a highly unique fact pattern because it involved very limited and indirect exposure to Roundup for only a short period during the plaintiff’s childhood.

Hundreds of CPAP users have filed suit against Philips after the company announced a sweeping safety recall covering over 10 million of its CPAP and BiPAP devices. These lawsuits allege that the first-generation DreamStation CPAP machines contained a sound abatement foam that degraded over time and exposed users to toxic chemicals. This post will provide a brief overview of the Philips CPAP recall and look at the specific allegation in some recent CPAP recall lawsuits.

Philips Recalls CPAP Machines

On June 14, 2021, Philips announced a massive safety recall of almost all of the company’s CPAP and BiPAP devices, including the popular DreamStation line of products. The recall impacted an estimated 10 million devices that are primarily used for the treatment of sleep apnea and similar conditions.

This week the MDL Judge in the Paragard IUD lawsuits will consider a motion to dismiss filed by the manufacturers of the defective birth control device. The Paragard MDL has grown to include over 500 individual cases by plaintiffs alleging that their Paragard IUD fractured during removal resulting in severe pain and sometimes emergency surgery to remove the broken pieces inside their uterus.

About the Paragard Lawsuits

The Paragard is an intrauterine device (IUD) used for birth control. It is a small plastic device shaped like a Y with a copper coil around the center. The device is inserted at the base of the uterus where is provides continuous protection against pregnancy for up to 10 years. The Paragard was designed to be easily removed at the doctor’s office.

For decades, Johnson & Johnson talcum products such as Baby Powder were used every day by millions of Americans. That has all changed drastically now as recent scientific research has revealed that long-term use of talcum powder products can cause cancer. The discovery of the link between talcum powder and cancer has led to thousands of talcum powder lawsuits and the disappearance of various products from retail shelves.

The recall of certain talcum powder products (such as J&J’s Baby Powder) has left many consumers looking for alternatives to meet their daily hygiene needs. Fortunately, there are many talcum powder alternatives that do not cause cancer. You can find some of these alternatives in local supermarkets, drug stores, or online. However, others are more difficult to find. The following are seven non-toxic alternatives to talcum powder.

Talcum Powder Class Action Lawsuit Update

Xarelto is a new-generation blood thinner that was initially approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in October 2011.  Xarelto is intended to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The drug is also to reduce the risk of recurrence of DVT or PE, and for prophylaxis of DVT for patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery.

This drug has made Bayer and Johnson & Johnson a fortune.  It has also left them as the defendants in 21,400 Xarelto bleeding lawsuits from patients or surviving families allege they have suffered gastrointestinal and cerebral hemorrhages, hemorrhagic strokes, and other types of bleeding issues that have caused injury or death.   Xarelto carries a significant risk of severe, and sometimes even fatal, internal bleeding – and there is no reversal agent available if serious bleeding occurs with Xarelto use.

Xarelto Lawsuit Allegations

New data suggests an association between melanoma skin cancer and Viagra. This has led many patients suffering from erectile dysfunction to question whether the benefits of this drug justify the risk of death that may accompany it.

If you or someone you love has developed melanoma while taking Viagra, you may have an injury or wrongful death lawsuit against Pfizer, who has never adequately warned patients and their doctors of this risk. If you believe you have a claim, call our lawyers for free at 800-553-8082 or get a free Internet consultation. We can discuss your options with you.

The Association Between Viagra and Melanoma

The understanding of the potential risks of melanoma with Viagra took flight in 2014 for the general public when Harvard Medical School released a new study showing that Viagra users were 84% more likely to develop melanoma skin cancer.

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