Thursday, April 30, 2026

Talc and Depo-Provera Dockets Swell as Pharmaceutical Mass Torts Anchor Daily Volume

Federal dockets saw significant multidistrict litigation and product liability volume over the last 24 hours, anchored by a massive surge in established pharmaceutical mass torts. The highest volume of the day materialized in the J&J Talcum Powder Litigation (MDL 2738), which absorbed 36 new complaints driven by an aggressive push from Napoli Shkolnik with 24 individual filings and The Miller Firm LLC adding 12. Following closely behind, the newly formalized Depo-Provera Litigation (MDL 3140) recorded 26 new filings concerning allegations of intracranial meningiomas, with Levin Papantonio leading the charge with 15 cases. The Hair Relaxer Litigation (MDL 3060) saw 15 new additions, primarily driven by Morgan & Morgan PA with six filings alleging endocrine-disrupting chemicals caused uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Meanwhile, agricultural dockets remained active, with Cory Watson PC filing three new cases in the Roundup Litigation (MDL 2741) to round out the top four highest-volume consolidated proceedings.

Plaintiffs' Coalition Advances Taste of the Wild Pet Food Litigation Over Cardiovascular Risks

In a significant consumer protection development, a formidable plaintiffs' coalition comprising Girard Sharp LLP, Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP, Shank & Heinemann LLC, and Schirger Feierabend LLC launched a new complaint in the Schell & Kampeter Grain-Free Dog Food Litigation. The filing targets the manufacturer of Taste of the Wild and Diamond Pet Foods, alleging the company aggressively marketed grain-free pet foods that are scientifically linked to canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This new action mirrors recent veterinary alerts from the FDA and demands strict accountability for deceptive marketing assertions regarding the safety and health benefits of the products. A Missouri state court recently certified a parallel class action (Mary Harmon et al. v. Schell & Kampeter, Inc., Case No. 2016-CV17833) for Missouri consumers who purchased the dog food, with a trial date scheduled for January 8, 2027 (see PR Newswire). As heavyweights like Stueve Siegel Hanson advance these claims, practitioners should expect a coordinated push to penalize pet food manufacturers for allegedly ignoring FDA research on cardiovascular risks.

Federal Lawsuit Targets Las Vegas Hotels Over Nathan Chasing Horse Sex Trafficking

The scope of premises liability expanded significantly yesterday following a new federal complaint filed against major Las Vegas hotel-casinos over systemic failures to prevent human trafficking. Andreozzi + Foote, serving as co-counsel alongside The 702 Firm, initiated a civil lawsuit in the Nathan Chasing Horse Sex Trafficking Litigation (Case No. 2:26-cv-01310) in the District of Nevada. The plaintiffs assert that the resorts bear civil responsibility for negligent security and premises liability by maintaining conditions that allowed the self-proclaimed spiritual leader to exploit Indigenous women and girls on their properties. This civil filing comes three months after a Nevada jury found Chasing Horse guilty of 13 criminal charges in January 2026, exposing the hospitality industry to substantial financial risk for allegedly ignoring obvious warning signs (see AP News). Plaintiffs' counsel will likely leverage the extensive criminal trial testimony to bolster their civil claims of institutional complicity.