Lawsuit Information Center
In April, we told you that the New Jersey Supreme Court had been asked to reconsider last year’s decision to deny centralization of all cases before one judge as part of a multi-county litigation (MCL). Previously denied last year, the outcome was different this go around.
The New Jersey Supreme Court has agreed to consolidate all Mirena birth control lawsuits filed in the state. The cases are being centralized as part of a Multi-County Litigation (MCL) in order to consolidate the proceedings before one judge, The Honorable Brian R. Martinotti, in Bergen County.
In August 2012, when Bayer first requested to consolidate the New Jersey Mirena litigation, there were approximately sixteen lawsuits pending in the state. In March 2013, plaintiffs filed a request for the New Jersey Supreme Court to reconsider the centralization of the Mirena cases, as the number of lawsuits had increased to at least sixty with numerous actions expected to be filed within the upcoming weeks.
An initial conference has now been scheduled for June 17 in which the parties will meet with the Court to discuss the status of discovery in the lawsuits, the status of motions, the organizational structure of the litigation, the formation of a discovery plan, coordination with the federal MDL, and to review the status of any settlement efforts to date.
In addition to the New Jersey state court Mirena lawsuits, Bayer also faces a number of similar complaints in the federal court system. All complaints filed in U.S. District Courts throughout the country have also been consolidated for pretrial proceedings, with an MDL or Multidistrict Litigation centralized before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel in the Southern District of New York.
If you or a loved one has been prescribed Mirena and developed serious injuries, including Pelvic Inflammation Disease, punctures of the uterus, infections, or significant bleeding, contact our lawyers at 1.800.553.8082, or online here.
- Mirena IUD Birth Control Lawsuits: An Overview
- Mirena IUD Problems