A scheduling order has been filed by Judge Cathy Seibel in the Mirena IUD MDL, more formally known as, In re: Mirena IUD Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2434.
In the order, Judge Seibel has outlined the discovery process for the litigation, including a time-table for the selection of a small group of cases that will go through case-specific discovery in preparation for early trial dates which are referred to in the order as the “initial distribution pool”. This “initial distribution pool” is more commonly referred to as a “bellwether” trial pool.
Courts utilize a bellwether approach when large numbers of plaintiffs are proceeding on the same theory or claim and re often facilitate settlement talks. The bellwether approach is being used in the Mirena litigation because there are over 100 lawsuits pending before Judge Seibel. These lawsuits are claiming injuries as a result of Mirena, including, uterine perforation, infection, damage to organs, ovarian cysts, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), and vaginitis.
Judge Seibel has directed the parties that the selection of cases for the initial disposition pool will take place on April 4, 2014 and has called for all case-specific discoveries in the initial distribution pool to be completed by September 30, 2014. Once the initial discovery is completed, deadlines are in place for the respective expert witnesses to file their reports and it appears that the first trial is scheduled to commence on or shortly after May 15, 2015.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a Mirena IUD birth control device, help is just a few clicks, or a phone call away. Contact a Lopez McHugh attorney today for a free case evaluation as you or your loved one may be entitled to file their own Mirena IUD lawsuit to recover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
