Lipitor Lawsuits Consolidated in South Carolina, Announces Lawyer Kenneth Suggs, of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lipitor lawsuits filed in federal courts on behalf of people who allegedly developed type 2 diabetes after taking Pfizer's cholesterol-lowering statin, also called atorvastatin, have been consolidated in the District of South Carolina according to a court order filed Feb. 18, (In re Lipitor (Atorvastatin) Litigation, MDL No. 2502 (JPML)), announced Janet, Jenner & Suggs attorney Kenneth Suggs, who is representing plaintiffs.

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"The Hon. Judge Richard M. Gergel, who has been appointed to oversee the new Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) has been involved in these cases for more than a year and was the obvious and best choice," said Suggs, a principal in the firm who also heads the firm's South Carolina office. "Judge Gergel is already presiding over 27 of these cases in South Carolina. This experience will be invaluable going forward," Suggs added.

Janet, Jenner & Suggs represents victims of dangerous drugs and medical devices nationwide. The firm is offering free consultations to anyone who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after they began taking Lipitor, Suggs said.

Suggs recently was named Columbia, SC, 2014 "Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs by Best Lawyers®. He also is listed among the "100 Most Influential" trial attorneys in the nation by the National Trial Lawyers Association publication, The Trial Lawyer. This marked the fourth time Mr. Suggs received this distinction.

Hundreds of lawsuits are pending against Pfizer alleging the company "failed to warn physicians and consumers adequately of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes from taking Lipitor; knew or should have known that the risks of Lipitor included developing diabetes; and negligently, recklessly, and/or carelessly marketed Lipitor without adequate instructions or warnings."

By consolidating the lawsuits, the court will be able to conserve resources, avoid duplication of discovery, and prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings. "The creation of an MDL benefits plaintiffs considerably because it allows for more efficient handling of the cases," said Suggs' partner, Robert K. Jenner, who heads the law firm's Mass Tort Division.

In 2012 the FDA issued warnings about side effects of Lipitor, including the risk of diabetes, after a large-scale study showed the danger of developing type 2 diabetes from Lipitor was particularly high in middle-aged and older women.

People who developed type 2 diabetes after they began taking Lipitor may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. To find out more about filing a Lipitor lawsuit, go to MyAdvocates.com, or call 1-877-My-Advocates (692-3862).

Janet, Jenner & Suggs is a national firm noted for its expertise in dangerous drugs and medical devices, birth injury and cerebral palsy cases, and environmental litigation. The firm has offices in Maryland, South Carolina, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota, and West Virginia. Its headquarters office is in Baltimore.

Contact:
Teresa Kelly
1-512-328-4276
[email protected]

SOURCE Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC