Have you used a Mirena IUD and suffered organ perforation? Did the device migrate into other areas of your body and cause damage?
If you suffered losses like these or others as a result of using Mirena IUDs, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Join the Many is working to provide women with a free case evaluation and connecting them with the legal care they need to hold manufacturers accountable.
What Is Mirena?
Mirena is a type of IUD that is designed to provide long-term birth control. The device is a T-shaped plastic frame that is placed into the uterus. While there, it releases a hormone called progestin. This hormone helps to prevent pregnancy in two ways. First, it causes thick mucus to form in the cervix, which works to stop sperm from reaching an egg. In addition to this, the device works to thin the lining of the uterus and, in some situations, will prevent ovulation from occurring, according to Mayo Clinic.
This device is left in place for up to seven years. It is supposed to remain present throughout that time.
In addition to this use, some doctors may use the product as a way to treat heavy menstrual bleeding. In this situation, the device can remain in place for up to five years, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Why Are People Filing Lawsuits Over Mirena IUD?
There have been many women who have come forward with complaints about Mirena. Women claim several different negative outcomes from using the product, including:
- Organ perforation with the device perforating the uterus
- Damaged organs outside of the uterus as the device migrates
- Abnormal fluid buildup occurring in the skull, a condition called pseudotumor cerebri
- Ectopic pregnancy
The women using this product stated that they did not know of the risks and that the product was defective. In addition to this, they claim that the company was deceptive in their advertising of the product as safe. Some lawsuits claim that the company knew of the risk of complications but did not communicate them openly.
Did you suffer complications like these when you used Mirena? If so, Join the Many wants to provide you with access to a free case review. This is a very safe way for you to learn if you may be able to file a lawsuit against the company for the losses you’ve incurred.
Lawsuit History for Mirena IUD
As of November 2022, there are no active class action lawsuits for Mirena in the U.S. However, there are several groups of individual lawsuits that are working through several district courts, including in New York and New Jersey.
With litigation ongoing, Mirena lawsuits are very much still a possibility. If you have suffered losses from these types of devices, contact Join the Many for help.
Many people have sought lawsuits against Mirena for complications. In fact, thousands of lawsuits have come up in court. Why are there no pending lawsuits then? What occurred? Here’s a look at some of the history of these lawsuits.
Mirena perforation cases were some of the first to be exposed. These cases went before a judge. Unfortunately, the attorneys in those cases were unable to find an expert that was approved by the federal court judge that was overhearing the cases. Even though four experts were presented by attorneys, the court rejected them all. This led to the dismissal of 1000 cases and a judgment granted in favor of Bayer. These cases were filed under multidistrict litigation (MDL) 2435.
Other lawsuits have been brought against the company with claims that the device migrated outside of the uterus walls itself. This led to various other damages, including perforation of other tissues and organ damage. These cases came to court in 2016. There were 1,230 of them that were dismissed. It was then affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in October 2017.
In 2018, a new set of lawsuits came up in court. A U.S. Judicial Panel created multidistrict litigation (MDL) 2767 for these cases in New York. These cases were specifically related to the development of pseudotumor cerebri, a buildup of fluid in the skull that looks like a tumor. In these cases, the plaintiffs offered that the company did not provide any warning about any type of non-stroke neurological conditions that could occur.
In this case, which involved 175 cases, the federal judge overseeing the MDL dismissed all of the experts in the case as well, based on causation. The judge stated there was not enough evidence to back up the connection between this injury and the use of Mirena IUDs.
There are still some cases pending in this area. However, there is still the need to prove causation holding many of these cases back.
Join the Many is providing free case reviews to people who have suffered illness or injury resulting from the use of Mirena IUD.
New Jersey Mirena IUD Cases
Mirena’s lawsuits are also pending in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey. There, multicounty litigation, noted as No. 297, brought claims against the company, noting that the device migrated outside of the uterus and caused injuries as a result of this. In July of 2018, there were over 1800 cases active in this grouping that were being heard by New Jersey Superior Court Bergen County.
In May 2018, a large group of these cases were dismissed, citing that the statute of limitations had expired in those cases. This was done by Judge Rachelle L. Harz. After the dismissal of those lawsuits, the pending lawsuits were then offered a settlement by Bayer. The details of this particular settlement are not known, as it is a confidential settlement.
However, not all of the plaintiffs in these situations agreed to the settlement, and many did not respond to the company’s requirement to make a decision prior to the end of June 2018. That is why there are still some cases pending in the state in this particular lawsuit grouping.
Examples of Women Bringing Cases Against Mirena IUD
In the case of Melody Williams, the plaintiff accused the company of fraud and negligence, stating the company did not warn consumers about the side effects of Mirena. She experienced significant abdominal cramping and pain after a year of using the product. The first attempt to remove the device was not successful, leading to a second surgical procedure. During this procedure, doctors learned the device had migrated through the opening in the fallopian tube, causing pain, infection, and multiple serious surgical procedures.
Katrina Everett-Carey filed a lawsuit against the company after doctors stated she had developed pseudotumor cerebri after receiving Mirena. This led to the onset of blurry vision and debilitating headaches. It took a year for her diagnosis to occur. She claims that the company did not adequately test the product before placing it on the market.
Settlements for Mirena Lawsuits
In the claims brought against Bayer in 2018, the manufacturer offered a $12.2 million settlement for the claims. In August of 2018, Bayer announced this settlement offer but required that 98 percent of the plaintiffs had to agree to the settlement and opt in for it in order for the company to agree to pay out the money. Bayer claimed that this would settle 4,600 claims made against the company for Mirena products.
Bayer is said to have provided confidential settlements to numerous other people, but they are confidential. That indicates that the company is willing to settle these types of claims, and they may be willing to settle more of them if they come forward.
Did you suffer losses related to your health after using Mirena? If so, you may have the legal right to compensation for your losses. There are still Mirena IUD lawsuits pending. You can be one of them. Join the Many can connect you to attorneys with experience in this area and help you find out if you may have a case.
What Does Mirena Say?
The company behind Mirena has not made an official statement that would take any credit for the illnesses and injuries that were brought on by the IUD. In many ways, Bayer is still heavily promoting its product. It also claims that less than 1 percent of people who use the Mirena IUD get a pelvic infection called pelvic inflammatory disease.
The company claims that its product is now approved for use for up to 8 years for the prevention of pregnancy and up to 5 years for the treatment of heavy periods. The company claims its product has a 99 percent effectiveness rating in preventing pregnancies, stating that less than 1 pregnancy occurs in every 100 women each year.
Mirena side effects do exist, and the company has stated that there are serious risks to using this product. In the most recent safety information about the product, the company lists a series of potential health risks for those using its products. Among those risks are the following:
- Ectopic pregnancy and intrauterine pregnancy risks
- Life-threatening infections
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Preformation (the device perforating the uterus wall or going through it)
- Expulsion of the device
In addition to this, there are some common side effects, including pain, dizziness, and bleeding after it is inserted. There is also the risk of missed menstrual periods, cysts occurring on the ovary, and changes in bleeding amounts.
Has Mirena IUD Been Recalled?
No, there have not been any recalls from the FDA for the use of Mirena. There are no known actions from the FDA in the nonuse of this product. In August of 2022, the FDA announced that the Mirena IUD could be used for 8 years, expanding its use for a full year from the previous limitation of 7 years. The organization does not indicate any adverse effects with the device related to any of these lawsuits.
Is It Possible to File Lawsuits Against Mirena?
Yes, there are many pending lawsuits throughout the U.S., including in U.S. District Courts in both New York and New Jersey. These courts are working to verify the accuracy of claims.
If you suffered any losses like these or others, you may have the legal right to compensation if Bayer is found responsible. It is critical that you seek out legal advice and guidance for this situation, as these are very challenging cases that the federal courts continue to focus heavily on.
Join the Main is working to make it as easy as possible for victims to get the help they need. We will provide you with information about your case and determine how well it could fit the class actions and other pending litigation for the manufacturer.
If we determine that there is reason to believe that you could file a lawsuit, we will provide you with a direct link to the attorneys that are already working on claims like your own.
