First MDL Levaquin Tendon Rupture Lawsuits Could be “Trial-Ready” by Jan 2010

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First MDL Levaquin Tendon Rupture Lawsuits Could be “Trial-Ready” by Jan 2010http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/levaquin-tendon-rupture-lawsuits-trial-ready-by-jan-2010-1124/September 23rd, 2008 • Filed Under: News • 2 Comments A status conference was held earlier this month before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim, who is overseeing the federal Levaquin litigation consolidated in Minnesota. At that time, lawyers for Johnson & Johnson and lawyers for plaintiffs who have filed Levaquin lawsuits alleging tendon damage caused by the popular antibiotic, indicated that they expect the first MDL cases to be “trial-ready” by January 2010. Levaquin (levofloxacin) is a drug that is commonly prescribed to stall the reproduction of bacteria and prevent infection. However, it has been linked to an increased risk of severe tendon damage and tendon ruptures.A number of Levaquin lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson and their subsidiaries alleging that they failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential risk of tendon damage. The lawsuits claim that if users had been warned about the potential tendon side effects, they could have contacted their doctors at the first sign of problems and avoided a rupture or permanent damage.In June 2008, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated all Levaquin tendon rupture lawsuits before Judge Tunheim for pre-trial litigation. The federal process, commonly referred to as an MDL, allows complex cases with similar underlying questions of fact to be centralized before trial for purposes of discovery and management. If the cases do not settle or otherwise resolve during the pretrial proceedings, they are then sent back to the original court where they were filed for trial.A status conference was held in the Levaquin MDL on September 4, 2008. At that time, the court was provided with an update by the parties about the number of cases that have already been filed in the MDL and estimates about the total number of cases that may be transferred. According to minutes from the meeting, the parties suggested that they anticipate the first Levaquin lawsuits could be “trial-ready” by January 2010. However, additional lawsuits alleging tendon ruptures from Levaquin continue to be filed in the MDL and various state courts, which could ultimately impact the pace of discovery. In addition, an unknown number of people who have experienced tendon problems while taking the drug are still having their cases investigated by Levaquin lawyers.