Tylenol MDL: Acetaminophen Linked to Serious Side Effects, Death

Last year, a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) was created to consolidate lawsuits against McNeil PPC, Inc., the company that owns Johnson and Johnson, alleging that “over-the-counter (“OTC”) acetaminophen containing products that are [marketed] and sold under its TYLENOL® brand-name caused liver damage, including liver failure, even when taken as directed.” Currently, there are about 125 Tylenol


Defective Nissan Brakes: Class-Action Suit Settled

Today, Reuters reported that Nissan North America “agreed to reimburse customers between $20 and $800 each to resolve a lawsuit alleging that defects in certain vehicles caused brakes to fail suddenly, according to court papers.”  Fortunately, no deaths have as yet been attributed to these defective Nissan brakes. According to the Associated Press, “A judge


Mercedes Plant Union Possible with National Labor Relations Board Ruling

This week, the National Labor Relations Board “upheld a ruling that Mercedes violated federal labor laws by stopping United Auto Workers union supporters from handing out literature inside its Alabama plant”, as reported by the Associated Press.  While laborers at this Mercedes plant – the largest in the United States – are not organized, the


Strker Hip Replacement Settlement Valued at $1.4 Billion

This month, CBS affiliate WNEM reported that a settlement has been reached in a lawsuit over defective Stryker hips.  In this defective hip replacement settlement, Stryker agreed to pay over $1.4 billion in damages to patients who received faulty implants. For more on defective hip replacements, check out our sister blog, DangerousDrugs WNEM writes, “Thousands


Ebola Gown Lawsuit Filed Against Kimberly Clark

On October 31st, the Associated Press reported that, “[a pending] $500 million lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark Corp. alleges the company falsely claimed its surgical gowns protected against Ebola and other infectious diseases.” (hyperlink added)  This Ebola gown lawsuit was filed against the company on October 29th, and the plaintiff alleges that the giant personal care company


Not a “Surprise” – Comcast Disagrees Over Net Neutrality

A few weeks ago, telecommunications giant Comcast put out a statement indicating that the company (sort of) agreed with President Obama’s remarks about net neutrality this month.  Before I go over how the company and the administration agree and disagree over net neutrality, it would probably help to explain what net neutrality is, and what’s


Fresh GOP Lawsuit Over Obamacare

Today, Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have filed a long-threatened lawsuit against the Obama administration over the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare.”  This is not by any stretch the first time we’ve seen the GOP sue over Obamacare, but as it comes not 24 hours after the President’s speech outlining


DuPont Leak Kills Four, Prompts Wrongful Death Suit

As you may have heard by now, a chemical spill at a Texas DuPont plant left four dead and another hospitalized last Saturday.  This plant, in La Porte, Texas – a small city near Houston, manufacturers manufacturers a variety of products, including plastics, fertilizers, and insecticides.  The cause of the DuPont leak has not been


Boston Scientific Pelvic Mesh Developments

Pelvic mesh litigation now comprises over 60,000 cases in the federal MDL, proceeding in the Southern District of West Virginia, and notable developments in the MDL and in cases proceeding in state and federal courts continue as cases prepare for bellwether trials. Judge Goodwin issued a fascinating opinion on the application of the learned intermediary


Cook Medical IVC MDL Cases Transfered to Southern District of Indiana

Plaintiffs in 12 of 27 pending cases against Cook Medical successfully moved the Judicial Panel on Multi District Litigation (“JPMDL”) for centralization of their cases into an MDL.  These cases were centralized into an MDL,  In re Cook Medical, Inc., IVC Filters Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Location, MDL No. 2570, and were transferred