NEW YORK – As the new year begins, the landscape of mass tort litigation in 2024 is starting to take shape. From the biggest class action MDLs to the potential settlements and growth opportunities, here are the key mass torts to watch.
At the forefront of the mass tort world is the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit, even though it is technically not an MDL class action. The Eastern District of North Carolina has established a mini-MDL for the over 110,000 administratively filed cases under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). With the Department of Justice launching the CLJA early settlement program in September, significant settlements are expected in the Camp Lejeune litigation this year.
The talcum powder class action against Johnson & Johnson remains a major mass tort, with 53,311 pending cases as of November 2023. While J&J wants to settle the cases for $9 million, it is clear that more funds will be needed to reach a global settlement that can convince enough plaintiffs to opt in.
The C.R. Bard Hernia Mesh MDL is another significant mass tort, with over 20,000 plaintiffs and a recent $500,000 verdict in favor of the plaintiffs in a bellwether trial. A global settlement could be on the horizon for this mass tort as well.
Moving to the MDLs to watch in 2024, the Paraquat Parkinson’s Lawsuit is one of the hottest mass torts, with almost 5,000 pending cases. A settlement could be on the horizon if the science linking Paraquat and Parkinson’s is deemed sufficient by the judge.
The Paragard IUD Lawsuit, involving over 2,283 pending cases, is another mass tort to watch. Bellwether trials are set to begin in November 2024, marking a significant milestone in this litigation.
Tepezza Hearing Loss Lawsuit, involving a new prescription drug for thyroid eye disease, has already seen a growing number of lawsuits filed. The recent consolidation of these lawsuits into a new class action MDL suggests that this mass tort is likely to gain traction in 2024.
The Bard PowerPort Lawsuit, although not a huge litigation with only 62 lawsuits as of November 2023, has drawn the attention of lawyers due to the potential complications and injuries resulting from this medical device. Its recent consolidation into a class action MDL suggests that it may become one of the next big mass tort MDLs.
The Roundup Cancer Lawsuit, stemming from evidence linking the chemical glyphosate in Roundup to cancer, has seen a wave of lawsuits and is back in the mass tort spotlight after several significant plaintiff verdicts.
Based on the information available, the AFFF Firefighting Foam Lawsuit with 6,400 pending cases is most likely to resolve with a global settlement in 2024, given that most municipal cases have already been settled.
In terms of mass tort MDLs ready to grow in 2024, the CPAP Recall Lawsuit, involving potentially hundreds of thousands of plaintiffs, is expected to experience explosive growth. The same applies to the Hair Relaxer Lawsuit, which affects millions of African American women in the US and has already shown significant growth.
Other class action MDLs on the rise include the Tylenol Autism Lawsuit, the Hernia Mesh Lawsuit (non-Bard), the Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuit, and the Oxempic Gallbladder Lawsuit. These mass torts hold the potential for large settlements as they progress.
As the year unfolds, these mass torts will continue to shape the legal landscape and impact those involved. Attorneys and victims alike will closely follow the developments in each of these cases, seeking justice and compensation.
Overall, the mass tort landscape in 2024 promises to be eventful, with settlements, trials, and the potential for significant growth in various MDLs. It remains to be seen how each of these mass torts will unfold, but they are certainly worth watching.