An estimated 29 million Americans take Lipitor, a prescription medication that works to lower cholesterol, as well as the risk of stroke, chest pains, heart attack, and other blood vessel and heart problems. While meant to help patients stay healthy, many people blame the drug for the development of some dangerous health conditions. In fact, many Americans who took Lipitor have filed lawsuits alleging that Lipitor caused Type 2 diabetes in women.
If you are a woman and have developed diabetes while on Lipitor, you may be entitled to substantial compensation from Pfizer, the maker of Lipitor, if you file a legal claim.
Where are legal claims filed?
Even if they have developed serious injury from taking Lipitor, many people delay pursuing a lawsuit because they do not even know where to begin, including where to file a lawsuit. The truth is that many factors may go into deciding where to file a lawsuit, and an experienced Lipitor attorney can help you determine the best way to proceed.
In the Lipitor cases, at least 270 plaintiffs filed claims against Pfizer all over the country in United States District Courts. When enough lawsuits are filed involving similar facts and claims, Federal law (28 U.S. Code § 1407) allows a judicial panel to consolidate the lawsuits so that pretrial proceedings will occur before one single court. Such a consolidation is called multidistrict litigation (MDL), and makes it easier for both the parties and the court to coordinate the lawsuits and handle them with some consistency.
Earlier in 2014, a judicial panel approved the Lipitor lawsuits for MDL, and transferred pretrial proceedings and discovery for all 270 cases filed in Federal court to the United States District Court of South Carolina in Charleston. The litigation is currently pending and any new qualifying lawsuits that are filed in Federal court will likely be transferred to the MDL. Pfizer argued against the consolidation, claiming may incite an “avalanche of filings” of frivolous cases, the Court, however, disagreed.
Lipitor cases have also been filed in various state courts, including in California, Saint Louis, and West Virginia.
Although there are many factors to consider whenfiling a lawsuit against a large pharmaceutical company, the experienced attorneys at Lopez McHugh LLP can help you through the process of filing a Lipitor claim. If you believe you may have a case, do not hesitate to call our office today at (877) 737-8525 to schedule a free consultation.
