Monday, May 11, 2026

Top MDL Filing Roundup: Philips Recalled CPAP, Bi-Level PAP, and Mechanical Ventilator Products Liability Litigation, Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation

AFFF and Philips CPAP Dockets Swell as Mega-Firms Execute 160-Case Filing Block put filing volume across 234 tracked filings behind a ranked docket roundup led by 1) MDL 3014 (Philips Recalled CPAP, Bi-Level PAP, and Mechanical Ventilator Products Liability Litigation) with 42 filings, top firm volume from Dicello Levitt LLP (42), including Barnes v. Koninklijke Philips N.V. et al.; 2) MDL 2738 (Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation) with 21 filings, top firm volume from The Miller Firm LLC (8) and Ashcraft Gerel LLP (6), including Pearson-Taylor v. Johnson & Johnson et al.; 3) MDL 3047 (Social Media Adolescent Addiction Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation) with 10 filings, top firm volume from Frantz Law Group APLC (10), including Grainger County Board of Education v. Meta Platforms, Inc. et al.; 4) MDL 3140 (Depo-Provera (Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate) Products Liability Litigation) with 10 filings, top firm volume from Morgan & Morgan PA (3) and Johnson Law Group (2), including Belton v. Pfizer Inc et al.; 5) MDL 3060 (Hair Relaxer Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation) with 8 filings, top firm volume from Johnson Law Group (3) and Bell Law Firm (2), including Calloway v. L'Oreal USA, Inc. et al.. The live-feed context supplied background color, but it does not alter the ranked top-five source list.

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.