The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Pfizer regarding the status of several defective drug claims related to their hormone replacement treatments. The ruling allows 123 women who developed breast cancer from taking these drugs to sue the pharmaceutical company in a Minnesota state court.
The appeal filed by Pfizer attempted to restore a federal trial court decision which dismissed 116 of the plaintiffs because their claims duplicated prior lawsuits. The issue being examined in this case hinged on the rules governing a corporation’s ability to change the jurisdiction of lawsuits from plaintiff-friendly state courts to federal courts. The Supreme Court ruled that the trial court judge erred in dismissing the 116 plaintiffs. Instead, the appropriate action was to remand the entire matter back to the Minnesota state courts where the claims were initially filed.
Pfizer’s menopause drugs were consumed by more than 6 million women in order to treat symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. However, a 2002 study indicated a link between these drugs and an increased risk of cancer. Pfizer has since faced several defective drug claims from women who have developed cancer after taking these drugs.
If you have a defective drug claim in the Oklahoma City area, please contact the attorneys at Stipe Injury Law today to schedule your free initial consultation.
