Two weeks ago, the U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation conducted a hearing to discuss where the DePuy Hip Implant MDL should be placed. Today, the Panel announced that the litigation will take place in the Northern District of Ohio. 

Complaints about the DePuy ASR hip implants have been reported throughout the United States, which prompted a hearing to consolidate the cases into multidistrict litigation. Counsel for DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. did not object to doing so. The Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Panel determined that the DePuy cases qualified for consolidation and created DePuy Mulitdistrict Litigation.

There were many different courts in the running for the federal district in which the pretrial proceedings would take place, including Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, and Florida. Counsel for DePuy and several Plaintiffs' lawyers who represent people harmed by the DePuy devices submitted arguments to the Panel as to which court they felt was most appropriate for these cases. 

As we've explained in previous articles, consolidating a case conserves resources for the attorneys as well as the judiciary, and bringing individual lawsuits for each case can make the costs so prohibitive as to present an obstacle to getting a fair settlement for the plaintiffs. The fact that DePuy Multidistrict Litigation has been formed creates a more efficient way for our legal team to pursue claims for our clients and ensures we are better able to give them the individual attention they need.

To better serve our clients in this case, Moriarty Leyendecker is working in conjunction with The Law Offices of Sullo & Sullo and The Law Offices of Howard L. Nations, the latter of whom was among the lawyers who proposed the Northern District of Ohio as the best venue based on that court's current docket and the speed and efficiency at which they move cases to resolution; the convenience of location for all parties; and the experience of the presiding judge. 

The Honourable David A. Katz is highly experienced with a successful MDL track record. Judge Katz is exceptionally well qualified to handle a matter of this size and complexity. Mr. Nations and his legal team were recently before Judge Katz in litigation regarding Ortho Evra Products Liability, a matter which was successfully resolved in the same Ohio court.

At Moriarty Leyendecker, we are looking forward to working with Judge Katz and his staff on this important matter, and we are confident that this choice of district is in the best interest of our clients.

Recommended Readings:

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How the ASR XL Acetabular System is Constructed

DePuy Asks Hip Implant Patients to Sign Away Their Legal Rights