Last year, Janssen Pharmaceutical, makers of the $1.5 billion diabetes drug Invokana, asked the FDA to approve it for even more uses, including the prevention of cardiovascular death, heart attacks and stroke.
However, the company currently faces a mounting number of FDA safety warnings for Invokana, as well as more than 1,000 lawsuits from patients alleging they suffered diabetic ketoacidosis, limb amputation, kidney damage or other side effects. Additionally, new Invokana cancer lawsuits for both kidney and bladder cancer are now being filed.
These cases, which started in 2015, aren’t going away. In fact, they’re growing steadily as use of the drug increases. And with the first court trials scheduled to begin later this year, J&J/Janssen is facing pressure to reach settlements of the Invokana lawsuits before the negative publicity surges.
If you or a loved one suffered side effects from Invokana, it’s important to speak with an attorney to file a claim before time expires to join the settlement. Contact us today.
The majority of Invokana cases have been transferred to the New Jersey Federal District Multidistrict Litigation Court where they are awaiting trial. They are being presided over by U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti in MDL 2750.
The first of these trials, called Bellwether cases, is scheduled to begin in September of 2018. The latest Invokana settlement update is that lawyers for both the manufacturer and injured patients are involved in negotiations to attempt to settle the cases prior to the start of these trials.
There is settlement news that certain Invokana cases have already reached settlement, however, Janssen has not agreed to a global settlement of all outstanding cases.
In the event a settlement is not reached prior to the start of trials, the parties will each select several Bellwether cases for trial. These trials will serve as test cases to gauge how the rest of the litigation might unfold, and set the tone for future negotiations.
DrugNews will continue to provide the latest Invokana settlement updates as they become available.
The majority of Invokana lawsuits are seeking compensation for medical care, future treatment, lost wages, lost time and pain and suffering. In some cases there may also be a claim for death benefits if the patient passed away.
These damages can range from $25,000 in minor cases to over $1 million in the event of death. However, settlement amounts are often less than the maximum amount of damages sought in order to account for the chance that the case could lose at trial.
For example, Invokana lawsuits are currently pending in the District of New Jersey, which is also the location of the headquarters for Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson. This could affect the likelihood that a jury would award compensation against a company that provides jobs and benefits in their home state.
In addition, Invokana settlements will take into account the time value of money, which pays a lesser amount today rather than a higher amount years from now.
Most important, each Invokana case is different and has its own settlement amount. Since the settlements in most cases are kept confidential, it is difficult to determine the amount of any that have taken place to date.
For a free and thorough review of your case to determine if it qualifies to join the Invokana litigation and what amount it might be worth, you can contact us to speak with a lawyer today.
The lawyers representing both sides in the Invokana litigation are currently preparing the cases for trial later this year. So far, no Invokana settlement date has been set.
However, the court in the Invokana MDL has set several important dates for Case Management Conferences that will allow the parties to negotiate a settlement prior to the start of trials. These have been set for the following dates in 2018:
In the latest Case Management Order #24, dated November 16, 2017, Judge Martinotti stated:
“The Court maintains its expectation to have the first trial scheduled for September 2018. The parties are ordered to use this proposed trial date when scheduling discovery and pre-trial orders.”
The latest update by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on January 16, 2018 states that 1,004 cases have been filed in the Invokana MDL and 965 are still pending.
DrugNews will continue to monitor for any developments in the settlement of Invokana lawsuits, as well as any future dates set by the court for trial.
For more information, or to speak directly with an attorney about your case at no cost, contact us today.
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