August 13, 2013 — Merck & Co. has published a Quarterly SEC Regulatory Filing to announce that they are facing approximately 1,500 NuvaRing lawsuits. All of the lawsuits involve plaintiffs who suffered from a blood clot, heart attack, stroke, or venous thromboembolism (VTE) after using NuvaRing, a hormonal contraceptive device.
NuvaRing lawsuits allege that Merck & Co., Organon Pharmaceuticals, and Schering-Plough did not adequately warn and/or downplayed the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). This severe side effect occurs when venous blood clots break loose and travel through the bloodstream (also known as an “embolism”). The blood clots can get stuck in organs and cut off circulation.
Approximately 1,295 NuvaRing lawsuits have been transferred into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL), which was created in August 2008 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri before Judge Rodney Sippel (NuvaRing MDL #1964). Lawyers have been ordered to select cases for bellwether trials that are expected to begin in January 2014.
Approximately 200 additional lawsuits have been filed in a NuvaRing Mass-Tort Litigation in New Jersey. The litigation is overseen by Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Bergen County Superior Court. The first trials were scheduled to begin in June 2013, but they have been pushed back indefinitely. Judge Martinotti granted a motion for summary judgement, which allows cases to be decided based on evidence gathered in the pre-trial discovery process.
Approximately 9 lawsuits are pending in various other state courts.
Serious NuvaRing side effects include:
- Blood clots
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- And more
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
