Some Yaz, Yasmin Cases Settling, But Thousands Remain in Litigation

Austin Kirk

By Austin Kirk
Posted April 27, 2012

ADD YOUR COMMENTS 12

UPDATE: For the latest information on the number of cases that Bayer has settled, please see our Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) about Yaz Settlements

In recent weeks, there have been several media reports on Yaz and Yasmin settlements, as Bayer is negotiating with law firms on case-by-cases. However, the drug maker continues to face thousands of lawsuits filed by women throughout the country, and this litigation is far from over.

Bayer currently faces nearly 12,000 Yaz lawsuits, Yasmin lawsuits, Ocella lawsuits and Beyaz lawsuits. All of the claims involve similar allegations that the drug maker failed to adequately warn about the side effects of drospirenone, the third-generation progestin contained in the popular birth control pills.

The litigation involves several “categories” of injuries, including catastrophic injuries (such as strokes and heart attacks), venous clot injuries (including pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis and other blood clot injuries), and gallbladder injuries (which have caused many women to require removal of the gallbladder after taking the birth control pills).

Yasmin Settlement Lawyers

Yasmin Settlements

Despite recent reports of settlements for Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits, potential new claims are still being reviewed for women throughout the United States who have suffered a blood clot injury.

REVIEW A CASE

In a Stockholders’ Newsletter sent out for the first quarter 2012, Bayer indicates that it has settled Yasmin and Yaz cases brought by at least 651 women, agreeing to pay $142 million, which results in an average of about $218,000 per case. However, the cases that are settling do not involve many of the most serious injuries, where women suffered strokes from Yaz or died. The settlements also do not resolve any of the gallbladder injuries, which Bayer has previously indicated they do not intend to negotiate at this time.

Therefore, despite reports that indicate the Yaz and Yasmin case are settling, this litigation is far from over.

The first Yaz trial as originally was scheduled to begin in January 2012, involving a women who suffered a pulmonary embolism. That trial was to be followed by a second trial involving a gallbladder injury, then a third trial involving a deep vein thrombosis or other venous clot injury.

These early trial dates, known as bellwether trials, are designed to promote settlement by allowing the parties to gauge how juries are likely to respond to testimony and facts that are likely to be repeated throughout the litigation. (Under the initial bellwether plan, cases involving catastrophic injuries like strokes were excluded from the process).

Days before the first trial was scheduled to begin, Judge David Herndon, who is presiding over the federal litigation in the MDL, canceled all trial dates and ordered the parties to engage in negotiations and start settling Yaz and Yasmin cases.

In an order issued in January, Judge Herndon wrote:

If the Court determines that the parties have not acted in good father during the negotiation process or that bellwether trials will be of no use and the parties have been unable to settle cases generally, the Court will begin the process of remanding cases to transferor districts… at such time as the Court declares the settlement process at an impasse.

At this time, all signs continue to indicate that Bayer is negotiating in good faith on a large portion of the litigation, involving cases for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, following a case specific analysis of medical records involved in each claim.

In an order issued April 19, Judge Herndon extended all deadlines another 90 days to allow additional time for negotiations. This is the third time the deadlines have been extended and it means that the earliest date the first trials could begin if negotiations breakdown would be September 2012. However, it seems extremely unlikely that any Yaz or Yasmin cases will be presented to a jury this year, as efforts will continue to reach settlement agreements.

YASMIN AND YAS CASES CONTINUING TO BE REVIEWED

There is still a lot of work to be done in this litigation and the Yaz and Yasmin lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. continue to review potential cases for women throughout the United States.

To review a potential Yaz or Yasmin case for yourself, a friend or family member and determine if financial compensation may be available through a settlement, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

12 Comments • Add Your Comments

  • Pam says:

    I took Yasmin for years and stopped taking it in the fall of 2009. I was diagonised with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in January 2010. I was 42 at the time.

    Posted on April 29, 2012 at 1:46 am

  • ECM says:

    I was one of those injured by YAZ opened a case 3 years ago was told my case would be settled and worth something now all of a sudden it’s worthless!!! Where’s the fairness and justice for my family?

    Posted on May 2, 2012 at 11:44 am

  • Liz says:

    I took Yaz for 3 months in the spring of 2010 and was diagnosed with bi-lateral pulmonary embolisms with an infarction on the left side. That part of dead lung will never rejuvenate, life long chest pains and I’ll never be allowed to take any hormonal drug again for the rest of my life. I was only 32 at the time.

    Posted on May 3, 2012 at 11:03 pm

  • Brandi says:

    Why do you think your case is worthless ECM??

    Posted on May 19, 2012 at 3:50 pm

  • Tra says:

    I am one who has opened a case years ago for gallbladder. I’ve had to have the gallbladder removed and still today, years later suffer from side affects of chronic diarreah which has also caused a fissure, talk about embarrassing and uncomfortable. A “dinner” date is out of the question and before leaving on a long car ride, make sure you don’t eat anything for at least a day prior to leaving. Even normal everyday dinner at home, make sure a bathroom is close and if you have company or go to a friends, hope they have a second bathroom that is not close to where people are sitting. I understand that some cases are life threatening but that is sad that Bayer has pushed other cases to the back and maybe not even settle for people that have life long side affects.

    Posted on May 23, 2012 at 10:37 am

  • ECM says:

    To Brandi, that is what my attorney said to me, that my bladder case was worthless, I have waited over 3 years after dealing with taking YAZ and all kinds of health problems began after taking it. Almost immediately I started having heart issues, now I am Prehypertensive, and I wasn’t before taking the YAZ pills. Then started having issues and pains with migraines, the first time I ever suffered from a migraine was when I first started to “mature” the chemical imbalance caused me to have migraines for about a year, then never again. Here and there I would get headaches, everyone does but no longer migraines. Then I start taking YAZ and the migraines were so painfully powerful I would lose my sight, all this was reported to the doctor, after a few months he took me off YAZ especially when I reported stomach pains. I started taking them in January 2009, by April I was done taking them from all the problems I started having. In August I had to have my gallbladder removed… I found out all my problems started after taking YAZ and I contacted an attorney. All my pain and suffering all the days missed from work loss of income loss of time from my family, and for what? Nothing? The attorney calls me and says “sorry but BAYER isn’t settling for your kind of case. WE can’t help you!” How depressing is this??? How unfair is this???!!! How can my life be worthless? I was healthy and fine before YAZ now I have to live with all the bad health and negative consequences from using it and there is nothing anyone is willing to do to help?!

    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:01 am

  • Alicia says:

    I dont know who your lawyer is that told you your case is worthless but they’re full of it. I had to have my gallbladder removed and have daily complications and will for the rest of my life (similar to you) aftertakingYasmin. My lawyers have been working on my case for a little over a year now, and my case is still in the litigation process, but its just a waiting game. They told me that it will be settled, it’s just a matter of when. So if I were you I’d find another lawyer to talk to about your case because it is getting close. Good Luck

    Posted on June 18, 2012 at 9:02 pm

  • ash says:

    I lost my gallbladder as well, I have an attorney and they are working on my case. If your attorney told you you weren’t going to be helped you do need to seek other opinions.

    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 4:26 pm

  • karie says:

    had my gallbladder removed also. I have an attorney but they dont want to go to trial since bayer is only offing 3000 for gallbladders. Ridiculous. I am looking to find a attorney who will fight for me. If you know of one please let me know. Thank you

    Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:03 pm

  • Christy says:

    I was diagnosed with a DVT after taking YAZ. I underwent minor outpatient surgery for a skin biopsy but developed a DVT a week later that traveled from IV site up my arm and lodged near my elbow. Had no idea… just knew my arm hurt like crazy. Was on vacation way up in the mountains-far from any medical help. By the time I got back home I was miserable!!! Could hardly drive due to throbbing. Stopped in at doc in the box as we pulled in to town. They took 1 look and transferred me to hospital where I was admitted. DVT was confirmed with tests and I had to start a 6 month series of blood thinners and weekly trips downtown to monitor blood levels. No more hormone thereapy for the rest of my life so menopause is going to be a load of fun! In addition, my arm is very easily irritated- swells and become sore when stressed even slightly (lifting or carrying groceries). Such a nusience! But I guess I was lucky that the clot did not break loose while we were in a remote place! I do have an attorney representing me in litigation, but I have not heard a word about this case in months!

    Posted on May 14, 2013 at 3:49 am

  • Raslin says:

    I started taking yasmin and yaz back in I believe 2004
    and til 11/2009 during the time i was taking the bc pills i have exprience migraine headaches, irregular periods,menstrual cramps and found a lump in my right breast and was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and was told to stop taking the birthcontrol pills. In Dec.2009 I had a Lumpectomy on my right breast and went thru Chemo and radiation finished in Nov. 2010 and diagnosed again in May 2012 and had a double mastectomy in Aug.2012 chemo in Nov. 2012 to Jan.2013.

    Posted on September 26, 2013 at 9:17 am

  • Katrina says:

    I was never on yaz or Yasmin but I was on depo and the pill for 5+ years and now suffer from deep vein thrombosis in my right leg with blood clots

    Posted on March 28, 2014 at 1:30 pm

Add Your Comments

  • Have Your Comments Reviewed by a Lawyer

    Provide contact information below and additional private comments if you want an attorney to contact you to review a potential case.

    The information below will not be published to this page.

  • NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.