Judge Requests Female Lawyers for Plaintiffs in Mirena MDL

Judge Requests Female Lawyers for Plaintiffs in Mirena MDL

By Anne Bucher

More than 50 federal Mirena IUD lawsuits have been consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege that Bayer, the manufacturer of the Mirena IUD, failed to adequately warn about the risk of migration and uterine perforation posed by the device. The preliminary proceedings in these Mirena IUD lawsuits will be heard by U.S. District Judge Cathy Siebel.

In multidistrict litigation (MDL), a committee made up of lawyers from a variety of law firms throughout the country helps to fund the costs of the litigation. These committees also provide the substantial manpower that is necessary to prepare for trial. There are currently 35 plaintiff law firms involved in the Mirena IUD MDL. Four male attorneys from these firms asked to be appointed to the executive committee for the MDL. Some of the other attorneys involved in the MDL expressed concern that an all-male committee would be unable to effectively relate the plaintiffs’ Mirena IUD injuries to the judge and jury.

In a status conference held Friday, May 17, Judge Siebel encouraged the plaintiff’s attorneys to include women in their leadership committee due to the nature of the litigation. Some of the female attorneys that are involved in the Mirena lawsuit MDL have already brought up concerns that Bayer has selected a woman as their head lawyer and that the pharmaceutical company was likely to use gender strategically during the litigation. They fear that the male attorneys will be unable to sufficiently convey the level of suffering that the plaintiffs have experienced.

Mirena IUD Side Effects

Since it was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000, the Mirena IUD has been touted as a long-lasting and effective form of birth control. It is a T-shaped device that is inserted into a woman’s uterus, where it can remain for up to five years. Although the Mirena IUD is an effective form of contraception, it has been linked to some severe side effects. Some of the Mirena IUD side effects include:

• Pelvic pain
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Infection
• Vaginal erosion
• Infertility
• Perforation of the uterus
• Perforation of the cervix
• Intrauterine pregnancy
• Ectopic pregnancy

More than 100 Mirena Injury Lawsuits Pending

There are currently more than 100 other Mirena IUD lawsuits that are pending in state courts in New Jersey, Missouri, California, New York and Mississippi. The plaintiffs’ lawyers expect that thousands of Mirena IUD lawsuits will eventually be filed in MDL.

In these Mirena IUD lawsuits, the plaintiffs allege that Bayer failed to provide adequate warning about the danger of migration and uterine perforation. They claim that the warning label only warned of a risk of perforation that could occur during insertion.

Bayer refutes this claim, arguing that the company has consistently warned about the migration danger and cautioned doctors and patients to check the threads attached to the device to ensure that it remains in place.

Take Legal Action

If you or someone you know has suffered from Mirena IUD injuries, visit the Mirena IUD Injury Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation to learn about your legal options. If you choose to submit information about your injuries, a lawyer will conduct a free case review to determine whether you qualify to file a Mirena IUD lawsuit. If your lawsuit is successful, you could receive compensation for your pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages and other Mirena IUD injuries that you suffered.