Xarelto Lawsuit Cases Granted MDL Status By JPML

TheProductLawyers.com offers insight on the latest developments in the more than 2,800 cases against Xarelto and its manufacturers, Bayer AG and Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a division of Johnson & Johnson.) In October of 2015, plaintiffs collectively approached the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict litigation (JPML) with a request for consolidation of cases with similar allegations. They further requested that the trials be held in the Southern District of Illinois. The defendants protested this, citing New Jersey as a more logical venue since many of their corporate offices are based in that state.

Following many weeks of formal hearings and deliberation, the JPML issued their statement on December 4th, 2015. Given the body of evidence evaluated, they stated, "In our judgment, the considerable growth in the litigation over the past few months demonstrates that informal coordination is not practical." They then agreed to create a multidistrict litigation for the plaintiffs, citing conservation of public and private resources as the foundation for the motion. Additionally, they dictated that the proceedings would be held in the neutral location of the Eastern District of Louisiana to forestall further contention.

The consolidation, which became official on December 12th, also serves the interests of all parties by precluding the potentially variable verdicts of multiple judges. To this end, they made their choice of judge clear, observing that, "Judge Eldon E. Fallon, who presides over three potential tag-along actions, is an experienced transferee judge with the willingness and ability to manage this litigation efficiently."

They are confident in his prudent sense of the law and his competent management of cases. Plaintiffs are confident that additional cases will continue to swell their numbers as the cases proceed to court. In Pennsylvania, a mass tort program comprising 550 individual cases is was consolidated by the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Plaintiffs in the MDL view this development as a confirmation of the pressing need for resolution of stated grievances against Xarelto's manufacturers.

The attorneys of Banville Law, the firm behind TheProductLawyers.com, are offering complimentary consultations to anyone who suffered injury or hospitalization after a bleed while on Xarelto. For more information about this release or the Xarelto litigation call 888-997-3792.