Test cases allow the parties to see which way the wind blows with juries and, perhaps, settle their disputes.
DePuy - The first bellwether trials over defects in hip implants made by Johnson & Johnson's DePuy Orthopaedics resulted in a $2.5 billion settlement on Nov. 19. On March 8, a Los Angeles jury awarded $8.3 million to a man who suffered injuries due to an implant. The second trial in Chicago ended on April 16 with a defense win. The settlement resolves cases in federal court in Cleveland and state courts in California, Illinois, and New Jersey over the ASR XL or ASR resurfacing devices. The deal doesn't need court approval, but critics already have voiced concerns that 4,000 cases would be excluded. DePuy has the right to walk away by June 1 if too many plaintiffs opt-out. To read the entire article click here.
