Bair Hugger Infection Lawsuits Could Begin Heading to Trial in November 2017, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports

April 4, 2016 - The multidistrict litigation established last year in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, for all federally-filed 3M Bair Hugger lawsuits (http://www.rxinjuryhelp.com/forced-air-warming/lawsuit/) continues to move forward, Bernstein Liebhard LLP reports. On March 24th, the Court issued a new Pretrial Order that, among other things, indicates that the litigation's first bellwether trials could begin in November 2017. The Order stipulates that the parties are to propose a plan for the selection of bellwether cases by October 17, 2016. Bair Hugger claims eligible for inclusion the bellwether trial pool include those pending in the proceeding as of December 19, 2016. Bellwether case selection will be completed by March 1, 2017, with case-specific discovery to begin on March 2nd. Discovery will conclude no later than July 1, 2017. The Court intends to convene the first bellwether trial on November 6, 2017. (In Re: Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Products Liability Litigation – MDL No. 2666)

"Our Firm continues to hear from hip and knee replacement patients who allegedly developed debilitating deep joint infections due to the Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket. We are pleased that the Court is preparing for bellwether trials, as the decisions in these cases could provide insight into how juries might rule in similar Bair Hugger infection lawsuits," says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is offering free, no-obligation legal review to hip and knee replacement patients who allegedly developed post-operative deep joint infections due to the Bair Hugger forced air warmer system.

Bair Hugger Allegations
The 3M Bair Hugger is used during surgical procedures to regulate a patient's body temperature. The apparatus consists of a portable heater/blower that is attached via a flexible hose to a single-use, disposable blanket. The blanket distributes warm air over the patient's body during and after procedures in order to prevent hypothermia. Since its introduction in the late 1980s, the Bair Hugger has been used by thousands of hospitals to warm millions of surgical patients.

According to court documents, the Bair Hugger lawsuits currently pending in Minnesota all allege that the use of the forced air warmer system increases the risk that hip and knee replacement patients will develop serious deep joint infections following their implant surgery. Plaintiffs assert that the apparatus suffers from a design defect that may cause the surgical site to come into contact with bacteria and other contaminants from the operating room floor. They further charge that the 3M Company and its Arizant Healthcare, Inc. subsidiary have been aware of this risk for years, yet failed to make design changes or issue any warnings to the medical community.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP continues to offer free, no-obligation legal reviews to individuals who allegedly suffered serious deep joint infections due to the 3M Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket. To learn more about filing a hip or knee replacement infection lawsuit, please visit the Firm's website, or contact Bernstein Liebhard LLP directly by calling 800-511-5092.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to once again be named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country. This year's nomination marks the thirteenth year the firm has been named to this prestigious annual list.

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Contact Information:
Sandy A. Liebhard, Esq.
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
info (at)consumerinjurylawyers(dot)com
http://www.rxinjuryhelp.com/
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