PARAGARD IUD LAWSUITS

Representing Paragard IUD Injury Victims Nationwide

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating potential claims from victims who have suffered injuries and other complications after using Paragard IUD contraceptive devices.

The Paragard IUD is a popular form of birth control, but women using these devices have reported serious complications, including breakage of the device upon removal. Now, numerous women are filing lawsuits alleging that defects in the Paragard IUD led to preventable injuries.

If you or someone you love suffered harm caused by a Paragard IUD, you may have a claim for compensation.

What is the Paragard IUD?

The Paragard IUD (intrauterine device) is a non-hormonal, long-term birth control device that is implanted at the base of the uterus. It uses a copper coil that releases small amounts of copper particles to prevent pregnancy. The Paragard IUD was first approved by the FDA in 1984 and has been on the market since 1988.

The Paragard IUD has been used by thousands of women. The T-shaped IUD, which can be implanted in the uterus for up to 10 years, is particularly popular among women seeking a non-hormonal form of birth control, as well as those who believed marketing claims that the device is easy to remove.

Complaints About Device Breakage, Complications Increase

While the Paragard IUD has been marketed as a low-maintenance, low fuss method of birth control, data has shown that women have experienced considerable problems with the device. This includes serious risks for complications and risks associated with the device breaking during removal.

The FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), which tracks voluntary reports submitted by individuals and health care professionals who have experienced issues with FDA-regulated products, shows how widespread issues with Paragard complications have become. Since 2003, there have been:

• Over 3,300 reports of “device breakage”
• Over 2,000 “serious” breakage events
• More than 100 related reports of hospitalization or life-threatening complications

Media investigations, including one by Spotlight on America, have helped raise awareness about the thousands of reported cases, and numerous other suspected unreported cases, of breakage and complications associated with the Paragard IUD. A follow-up to that investigation also found that the manufacturer quietly changed the Paragard label as complaints piled up, suggesting that the company knew about the problem.

According to the latest investigation, Paragard’s maker reported an increase in complaints of breakage to the FDA in 2013. When the number of complaints surpassed 2,500 in 2019, the company made changes to the fine print of its label, warning that “Breakage of an embedded Paragard during non-surgical removal has been reported.” But despite changing its label, the company did not notify women or providers about the issue.

Complications & Injuries Linked to Paragard IUD

Paragard has been associated with various complications and injuries. Some of the most serious problems include the device’s propensity to break or fracture when being removed. Pieces left behind after breakage can cause serious damage to reproductive organs and necessitate surgical removal. In cases where damage is severe, hysterectomies or similar removal procedures may be necessary.

Paragard IUD is associated with the following injuries and complications:

• Device breakage, including breakage during removal
• Movement or migration of the device
• Perforation of the uterus
• Inflammation and injury from copper residue
• Infections
• Organ damage
• Surgery, including hysterectomy, laparoscopy, or laparotomy
• Ectopic pregnancy

Paragard IUD Litigation – Women Step Forward to Sue Over Paragard Injuries

As women and women’s health advocates wait to see if regulators will conduct further studies on the safety of the Paragard IUD, many have begun filing lawsuits.

These civil claims, filed against Teva Pharmaceuticals and The Cooper Companies (including CooperSurgical, Inc.), allege that:

1. Paragard IUD manufacturers made a defective device; and
2. Failed to adequately warn patients and physicians about serious risks of complications, including breakage upon removal.

Lawsuits against the manufacturers of the Paragard IUD are being consolidated before a single court in Georgia in what is known as multi-district litigation (MDL). MDLs are a special procedure that allows courts to streamline the settlement process for many claims.

Unlike class action lawsuits, MDLs allow each plaintiff to retain their own lawyer and have their claim treated as an individual case. Additionally, MDLs involve litigation of select “bellwether” trials that help shape global settlements.

As a firm with extensive experience representing victims in MDLs and complex litigation, our team at Levy Konigsberg can help you understand the MDL process and the Paragard IUD litigation during a consultation.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have a Paragard IUD lawsuit if:

• You suffered injuries related to the use of the Paragard IUD;
• Experienced a breakage of the device during implantation or removal;
• Were required to undergo surgery to remove the device or repair damage to organs;
• Experienced other complications associated with the Paragard IUD.

Paragard IUD Lawsuit Updates

The first bellwether trial in the Paragard IUD litigation has been scheduled for March 2024. Given the time needed to investigate and process claims, we encourage anyone with a potential case to reach out to our firm for a FREE consultation as soon as possible.

Updates on Paragard IUD lawsuits:

• May 2023. Parties convened for pretrial conferences to select which cases will serve as bellwether trials.
• April 2023. Dozens of new pending cases were transferred to the Paragard IUD MDL, which now has more than 1,780 plaintiffs.
• February 2023. Presiding Judge Leigh Martin May established procedures for selecting representative cases for the first bellwether trials. Minutes from the status conference indicate a bellwether trial to begin in early 2024.
• September 2022. A status conference was held regarding recent developments and progress in preparing representative cases.
• December 2020. All pending and new Paragard IUD lawsuits filed in federal court system were consolidated to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia before Judge Leigh Martin May as part of an MDL.

How Much is a Paragard IUD Settlement Worth?

The Paragard IUD litigation is ongoing and the potential value of any settlement or recovery will depend on the specific facts of each case. Generally, women filing these lawsuits are seeking financial compensation for damages such as:

• Pain, suffering, and emotional anguish
• Lost income and future earnings
• Medical expenses, including costs of surgery
• Long-term medical or mental health needs
• Other economic and non-economic losses