Monday, May 11, 2026

Depo-Provera and AFFF MDLs Surge as Environmental and Pharma Torts Dominate Weekly Filings

Federal dockets saw intense product liability activity this week, with mass tort filings heavily concentrated in established environmental and pharmaceutical multidistrict litigations. Yielding hundreds of new complaints, the week's volume was decisively anchored by water contamination claims and a rapidly expanding women's health docket, signaling sustained plaintiff-side investment in mature and emerging MDLs alike.

The AFFF Litigation (MDL 2873) generated the highest single-docket volume, pulling in 72 new filings as municipalities and individuals continue to allege severe environmental contamination and personal injuries tied to PFAS-containing firefighting foams. Environmental Litigation Group PC dominated the docket with 56 new complaints, supported by a secondary wave of 7 filings from Napoli Shkolnik. This sustained volume underscores the massive, ongoing effort to hold chemical manufacturers accountable for widespread groundwater pollution and associated cancers.

Close behind, the newly formalized Depo-Provera Litigation (MDL 3140) saw a massive influx of 68 new cases, cementing its status as one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical mass torts. Plaintiffs uniformly allege that prolonged use of Pfizer's contraceptive injection caused the development of meningiomas and other serious brain tumors. Morgan & Morgan PA led the charge with 22 filings, followed by The Miller Firm LLC with nine and Johnson Law Group with seven. The sheer diversity of firms entering this space—including notable contributions from Weitz & Luxenberg PC and Ben Martin Law Group—indicates a highly organized and rapidly mobilizing plaintiffs' bar.

Cosmetic and Medical Device MDLs Maintain Heavy Momentum

Cosmetic and personal care product litigations maintained heavy momentum this week. The J&J Talc Litigation (MDL 2738) recorded 50 new filings alleging ovarian cancer linked to asbestos-tainted baby powder, primarily driven by Wagstaff Law Firm (22 cases) and Frazer PLC (10 cases). Concurrently, the Hair Relaxer Litigation (MDL 3060) added 41 complaints asserting that endocrine-disrupting chemicals in chemical hair straighteners caused uterine and ovarian cancers. Johnson Law Group and Keller Postman LLC anchored this docket with eight and seven filings, respectively, alongside six from Singleton Schreiber LLP.

In the medical device and consumer safety arenas, Dicello Levitt LLP executed a highly targeted filing strategy across two major dockets. The firm filed 36 new complaints in the Philips CPAP Litigation (MDL 3014), representing users who allege respiratory injuries and cancer from degrading sound-abatement foam in sleep apnea machines. Simultaneously, the firm originated 17 of the 18 new complaints in the Baby Food Litigation (MDL 3101), pushing forward claims that heavy metal contamination in major infant nutrition brands has caused severe neurodevelopmental disorders.

Keller Postman and Nigh Goldenberg Drive Cross-Docket Volume in Paragard, Social Media, and GLP-1

Elsewhere in the mass tort landscape, Keller Postman demonstrated its cross-docket bandwidth by driving volume in two distinct arenas. The firm filed 10 of the 16 new cases in the Paragard IUD Litigation (MDL 2974), where plaintiffs allege the copper contraceptive device is prone to breaking upon removal, causing severe internal injuries. Furthermore, Keller Postman contributed five filings to the 16-case haul in the Social Media Adolescent Addiction Litigation (MDL 3047), matching the five filings brought by the Law Offices of Charles H Johnson. Meanwhile, the dual tracks of the GLP-1 receptor agonist litigation continue to mature. The GLP-1 Gastroparesis Litigation (MDL 3094) saw 21 new filings regarding severe stomach paralysis, while the parallel GLP-1 NAION Litigation (MDL 3163) added eight complaints focused on blindness and vision loss. Nigh Goldenberg Raso Vaughn PLLC has established a prominent footprint across both dockets, filing eight gastroparesis cases and five NAION cases this week.

Among pending consolidation efforts, Weitz & Luxenberg PC filed in the nascent Dupixent (MDL 3180) docket — which awaits formal JPML certification — alleging serious adverse reactions to Regeneron's blockbuster biologic.

As environmental and pharmaceutical dockets absorb the lion's share of new product liability filings, defense counsel should anticipate aggressive, multi-front discovery battles, particularly in high-growth areas like Depo-Provera and GLP-1 therapies.

C.R. Bard Secures Defense Verdict in First PowerPort Bellwether Trial

C.R. Bard won the first bellwether trial in the Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation (MDL 3081) on May 8, 2026, with a jury rejecting claims that its PowerPort device caused a plaintiff's complications. The verdict in the District of Arizona before Judge David G. Campbell marks a significant early test for the defense in a litigation that has grown to roughly 2,874 pending actions. The defense result cools settlement momentum and may embolden defendants to press toward additional trials rather than negotiate a global resolution. Plaintiff attorneys will need to reassess case selection and causation theories ahead of the next bellwether, with discovery disputes over device design and failure-to-warn claims likely to intensify.

Abbott Loses Appeal of $500 Million NEC Formula Verdict, Bolstering MDL Valuation

Abbott Laboratories lost its appeal of a nearly $500 million infant formula verdict on May 6, 2026, with an appellate court affirming the judgment in favor of a plaintiff who developed necrotizing enterocolitis after consuming Similac formula. The ruling validates the damages framework in the Abbott Laboratories, et al., Preterm Infant Nutrition Products Liability Litigation (MDL 3026), which holds roughly 801 pending actions. The appellate affirmance removes uncertainty for plaintiffs pursuing NEC claims and strengthens negotiating leverage for settlement discussions. The verdict preservation comes as the MDL has seen renewed filing activity in Illinois federal court, suggesting plaintiff firms are capitalizing on the favorable precedent.