October 1, 2012 — According to a recent case list, there are 186 NuvaRing lawsuits currently pending in the “mass tort” Multicounty Litigation (MCL) in New Jersey. There are also more than 1,000 NuvaRing lawsuits pending in a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) located in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. These massive consolidated litigations contain most NuvaRing lawsuits throughout the United States.
The most recent NuvaRing lawsuit was filed on September 18, 2012 by Amanda Craft. She allegedly suffered from Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) after using the NuvaRing. DVT is a life-threatening condition that occurs when blood clots form deep inside veins, usually in the lower leg. The blood clots can cause severe venous damage, and if they break loose, they can travel to the lungs and cause a deadly pulmonary embolism.
Most NuvaRing lawsuits allege that the manufacturer failed to adequately warn about the risk of DVT and blood clots. Experts have long known that synthetic hormones in contraceptives increase the risk of blood clots. Plaintiffs allege that the risk information for NuvaRing suggested that the risk of blood clots was comparable to oral hormonal contraceptives — but recent research has linked NuvaRing to a significantly increased risk of blood clots.
A study published in May 2012 in the British Medical Journal linked NuvaRing to a 6.5-fold increased risk of blood clots compared to women who did not use hormonal contraceptives. The researchers also found that women using NuvaRing were twice as likely to suffer a blood clot compared to women using an older type of oral contraceptive.
Now, many women who were injured by NuvaRing are seeking justice and compensation for their injuries by filing a lawsuit. The litigation is underway in New Jersey and Missouri. The first bellwether trials in the MDL are scheduled for February 2013. The decisions made in these early trials will help decide other cases, and expedite a resolution of the litigation. These cases are moving forward quickly, but you may still have time to file a NuvaRing lawsuit if you or your loved one was injured.
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.
