NuvaRing Blood-Clotting Allegation Lawyer: Resource4thePeople Reports Key New Developments in Federal Consolidated Litigation Climb
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) November 21, 2013 -- http://www.resource4thepeople.com/defectivedrugs/nuvaring.html
Resource4thePeople today issued its latest update for consumers who may have been affected by allegations made by women in lawsuits that the popular contraceptive NuvaRing caused them to suffer life-threatening blood-clotting problems.
"Over 1,400 of these lawsuits* are now consolidated before a federal judge who is overseeing pre-trial evidence-gathering and other legal developments involving allegations against the manufacturers of the NuvaRing contraceptive," said Resource4thePeople.
"In one of his latest orders the judge has informed attorneys in the case that adversarial litigation in these cases, including all discovery, motions, hearings on motions and rulings related to any of these cases, shall be held in abeyance until Dec. 31, 2013."
Resource4thePeople's national network of attorneys has been among those seeking compensation for consumers who are alleging blood-clotting problems as a result of their use of the contraceptive device. Free consultations have been offered through which legal options available to consumers may be provided.
In another important action, the judge overseeing the multidistrict litigation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri also has rescheduled a key trial date.
The bellwether trial of Prather vs. Organon** has been rescheduled by Judge Rodney W. Sippel to April 7, 2014 and the judge also set a final pre-trial conference date for the lawyers for March 26-27, 2014.
"The rescheduling of the bellwether trial means that it will be a little bit longer before a jury will be able to consider the allegations that are contained in these consolidated federal lawsuits," said Resource4thePeople.
"These are important allegations that have, according to the allegations in these files, been linked to the formation of blood clots and serious health problems that may lead to fatalities.
"Therefore, we are recommending that when families seek information about their legal rights over these allegations they do so from lawyers such as ours who have specific experience in aggressively pursuing the rights of consumers in this specialized area of litigation."
Bellwether trials are chosen from the pool of lawsuits to serve as test cases in which lawyers from both sides may test the strengths and weaknesses of their cases.
"This trial and others to follow will allow the facts of these allegations to be presented to juries and move this litigation involving claims of life-threatening blood-clotting problems forward," said Resource4thePeople.
"However, there is always the possibility of legal time limits being involved so our recommendation is to contact us as soon as possible in order to protect all legal options," said Resource4thePeople.
Judge Sippel also has scheduled the next case management conference involving these cases for Jan. 16, 2014 in Courtroom 16 South in the courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri.
Lawyers for both the plaintiffs and the defendants are scheduled to participate in this case management conference and brief the judge in the latest developments in pre-trial evidence-gathering and other matters.
The common allegations in the consolidated federal NuvaRing lawsuits are summed up on the court’s multidistrict litigation web site and include the following language:
“NuvaRing is a prescription contraceptive device used by women throughout the United States. The individual plaintiffs in this matter claim that use of NuvaRing caused them injuries. They have filed suit in several state and federal courts alleging that the manufacturer of NuvaRing failed to adequately warn of the risks associated with the use of the product, and/or that the NuvaRing product is otherwise defective and unreasonably dangerous.”*
As this litigation progresses, other NuvaRing lawsuits continue to be filed, including one by lawyers for a California woman who, according to the complaint*** she filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, attributes a serious blood-clotting problem to her use of the NuvaRing contraceptive.
The California woman's lawsuit also alleges that the manufacturers of the contraceptive were aware that the NuvaRing put women at greater risk of suffering blood clots but failed to adequately inform consumers and government regulators.
In addition to the federal consolidated lawsuits, over 200 such state court cases are under the supervision of a judge in New Jersey Superior Court, where another multidistrict litigation**** is underway.
Named as defendants in these litigations are Organon Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Organon International Inc. and Schering-Plough Corp., who, according to the court file, allegedly falsely marketed and sold the NuvaRing as a safe, efficient alternative to birth control pills.
The NuvaRing was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001 after being created by Organon as a flexible IUD, or ring, hence the name. The IUD releases a low dose of etonogestrel and estrogen over three weeks, providing women the flexibility of a monthly contraceptive.
On Oct. 27, 2011 the FDA released the findings of government research that put women who used the NuvaRing or other IUDs with a similar mixture of hormones at a 56 percent higher risk of suffering blood clotting that led to deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms than women on birth control pills.*****
Resource4thePeople also notes that NuvaRing has now posted a warning about the increased risks of suffering blood clots on the company’s web site under the heading of “IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION."******
Sources:
*In re: NuvaRing Products Liability Litigation, No. 08-md-1964, JPML, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
**Prather v. Organon, 4:08cv558RWS, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
***Case # 2:2013cv04195, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
**** In Re NuvaRing Litigation, Docket No. BER-L-3081-09, Bergen County, New Jersey Superior Court
*****http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM277384.pdf FDA Oct. 27, 2011
******http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp
Bill Callahan, iLawSuit, +1 858 602-2749, [email protected]
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