Ethicon Mesh Lawsuit Update: Federal Judge Lays Out Plan for Bellwether Trials

ethicon johson johnsonA federal judge has outlined the process for selecting the first cases to go to trial in the Ethicon multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents, U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin has created a schedule for selecting plaintiffs’ cases involving the Ethicon Gynecare Prolift vaginal mesh product.

As detailed in the court’s schedule, discovery pool cases are to be submitted by September 6, 2013, with five cases selected per side. Trial pool cases are to be submitted on January 6, 2014, with three cases per side.

After the trial pool cases are submitted by both the plaintiffs and the defendants, Judge Goodwin will select two bellwether trial cases. The first bellwether trial in the Ethicon MDL is currently scheduled for August 19, 2014.

With the announcement of a schedule outlining pretrial proceedings and the first bellwether trial, there appears to be much progress being made in the Ethicon MDL. The court next convenes on Thursday, September 19, 2013 for a status conference.

As of August 28, 2013, there are 9,419 transvaginal mesh lawsuits that have been consolidated into the Ethicon MDL in West Virginia. This number has climbed by nearly 1,000 cases in the past month, which is evidence that more and more women are stepping forward to file cases against Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon for injuries they believe they sustained through the use of these manufacturers’ vaginal mesh products.

If you believe that your injuries were caused by an implant of transvaginal mesh, contact Carey Danis & Lowe to get medical advice from one of our medical experts, as well as to receive a free legal evaluation about your vaginal mesh case from one of our experienced transvaginal mesh lawyers.

Contact Carey Danis & Lowe by calling 800.721.2519 or by submitting a personal injury claim form.

Stay current on the latest Ethicon mesh lawsuit news by following the Carey Danis & Lowe blog.