A case management order released May 11 announced the litigation on kidney problems linked to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) heartburn drugs is moving forward despite the interruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  Manufacturers of popular PPI heartburn drugs like Nexium and Prilosec face nearly 14,000 product liability lawsuits in the federal court system from individuals claiming these drugs caused severe kidney injuries including chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and acute kidney injury. Injured individuals claim that manufacturers of PPI heartburn failed to warn the public about the risk of kidney injuries from using their products.

U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi, who oversees all federal PPI heartburn drug lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, released a case management order calling for parties in the litigation to meet and confer via remote communication methods on a variety of issues related to the litigation.

“The Court will not require witnesses who have been directly impacted by COVID-19 to sit for their deposition, but certain depositions that do not have any issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic should proceed on a remote basis,” U.S. District Judge Cecchi relates through the case management order.

The PPI heartburn drug litigation first came about several years ago in the United States after the publication of several major studies. Health officials and researchers suggested that PPI heartburn drugs suggested that the risk of kidney injury was not disclosed on the warning labels for heartburn drugs like Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, and Nexium among others.  

Before the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, parties involved in the litigation were preparing a group of representative claims for November 2021 trial dates. However it remains unclear whether these bellwether trials, early trials intended to help parties gauge jury responses to evidence and testimony brought up in the litigation, will be postponed given the fallout of the pandemic.

Did You take a PPI Heartburn Drug Like Nexium or Prilosec?

Many patients across the U.S. have taken medications like Prilosec and Nexium to treat their heartburn or painful acid reflux. However, these medications have been claimed to do more harm than good and cause kidney damage to consumers. If you experienced kidney injury after taking a PPI heartburn drug, the manufacturers of these drugs may be held responsible for your injuries.

The McGartland Law Firm works tirelessly to help victims of dangerous drug injuries hold companies responsible for their illegal activities. We have won multi-millions of dollars for our clients and work on a contingency-fee basis, allowing us to provide quality legal representation without undue financial risk. Call 1-866-832-9300 today to speak with one of our representatives about your case.