A group of Essure side effects lawsuits that have been cleared to proceed in a California state court could have a major effect on similar claims.

These claims are filed against Bayer Healthcare, alleging that the pharmaceutical company’s permanent birth control device Essure led to serious injuries in its patients.

Bayer Healthcare and other device manufacturers have typically argued against such Essure side effects lawsuits, claiming that the federal regulation of their products should free them from accountability under state law for any injuries.

However, the California court’s approval of these claims could mean that such moves forward will be more easily achieved in future Essure lawsuits.

This success doesn’t come without major effort on Bayer’s part to have the cases thrown out. Indeed, Bayer has attempted to have the cases thrown on three different occasions, but the judge sided with the plaintiffs each time.

Not only could Bayer Healthcare be held liable in the current Essure lawsuits, but this step forward could also set precedent when future claims over Essure devices are brought forward.

There are 11 consolidated Essure side effects lawsuits, representing 14 women, alleging that Essure led to serious unexpected injuries. However, these claims are far from the only litigation that has been filed over Essure side effects.

In fact, there are around 200 Essure side effects lawsuits that have already been filed in California alone. Even more Essure lawsuits wait outside the state, in federal court.

These cases may be coordinated in California to consolidate rulings, if a petition by the judicial council is successful.

Essure Background

Implantation with Essure birth control coils has become a popular method of permanent birth control. Essure is now produced by Bayer Healthcare.

The Essure device has two separate metal coils which are implanted into a woman’s fallopian tubes. It takes months following the initial Essure procedure for the coils to become effective, expanding in place and allowing tissue to grow around them. Eventually, this is supposed to completely block the fallopian tubes.

According to Bayer Healthcare advertising and marketing, this is a safe and effective method of permanent birth control. Bayer Healthcare has continuously marketed Essure as a safer, simpler, and more effective method of permanent birth control than other options currently available to women, plaintiffs claim.

Because of Bayer’s Essure birth control popularity, problems with the device could impact thousands of women. According to Bayer, around 900,000 women currently use the Essure coils.

Though the majority of these women, according to Bayer, do not suffer any serious side effects, thousands of women have reported severe and unexpected Essure complications. These side effects include device migration, organ perforation, and severe pain.

Essure was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at a Class III medical dvice in 2002. By 2015, over 5,000 adverse event reports had been filed in the FDA’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database.

These adverse event reports ranged from abnormal bleeding to device migration and organ perforation.

Essure Side Effects Lawsuits

According to the California Essure lawsuits, Bayer failed on a manufacturing and quality control level and neglected to warn device users of possible risks, among a variety of other claims.

If you or someone you love has suffered from any of these Essure side effects or others after being implanted with the Essure birth control device, you may be able to file an Essure side effects lawsuit.