Are You Eligible to Join a Pending Dangerous Drug Lawsuit?

While the drugs we take are supposed to help us, sometimes they do more harm than good. If you have been harmed by a dangerous drug, you may be able to hire a lawyer to help you hold the pharmaceutical company behind the drug accountable.

There Are Numerous Dangerous Drug Lawsuits Pending Across the Country

At present, there are several dangerous drug lawsuits pending across the country. These include, but are not limited to, lawsuits alleging that the following drugs have caused serious harm to patients:

• Taxotere
• Prescription opiates
• GLP-1 weight loss drugs (Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy)
• Zantac
• Suboxone
• Valsartan, Losartan and Irbesartan
• Fosamax
• Zostavax
• Depo-Provera
• Elmiron
• Tepezza
• Gardasil
• Xarelto

All of these are national multidistrict litigation (MDL) proceedings that have at least 100 active cases pending. However, some of them are much larger than others. For example, there are more than 4,800 active lawsuits in the national Taxotere MDL (which is currently the largest drug-related MDL in the country), and the GLP-1 weight loss drug MDL—which is growing rapidly—had 2,676 lawsuits pending as of September 2, 2025.

Determining if You Have Grounds to File a Dangerous Drug Lawsuit

Are you eligible to join one of these dangerous drug cases? Or, do you have a claim related to a different prescription or over-the-counter drug? Here’s what you can do to find out:

1. Collect Your Medical Records

First, you should collect your medical records. This includes your medical records related to your prescription (if your case involves a prescription drug), any medical visits during which you were administered the drug, and your diagnosis with a drug-related complication. The more of your medical records you can track down, the better. However, if you can’t locate any of these medical records, you should not let this stop you from talking to a lawyer about your legal rights.

2. Take Notes About What Happened and When It Happened

Along with collecting your medical records (if possible) you should also take detailed notes. Try to write down the answers to questions like:

• When did you first buy the drug in question?
• When did you start taking the drug in question?
• When did you start having concerns about a possible drug-related complication?
• When did you first talk to a doctor about your concerns?
• What was your diagnosis (and when did you receive it)?

These are all details your lawyer will need to know. But, here too, if you don’t have everything you need, that’s fine for now. Do your best to write down as much information as you can, but don’t worry if you (or your lawyer) will need to track down additional information later in the process.

3. Schedule a Free Consultation with a Dangerous Drug Lawyer

An experienced defective drug lawyer will be able to determine if you are eligible to join an ongoing MDL proceeding—or whether you may be able to take legal action outside of an existing MDL. If you are eligible to take legal action, your lawyer will also be able to assess the value of your claim. While the financial and non-financial costs associated with drug-related complications can be substantial, every case is unique, and you will ultimately need to decide whether you are prepared to move forward based on your individual circumstances.

What to Expect if You Hire a Lawyer to File a Dangerous Drug Lawsuit

Let’s say you have grounds to take legal action, and let’s say you decide you are prepared to move forward. What can you expect if you hire a lawyer to file a dangerous drug lawsuit?

While the answer to this question depends on several factors, one key factor is whether you are eligible to join an existing dangerous drug MDL proceeding. If you are—and if the MDL is already well underway—this could shorten the process significantly. But, as with all lawsuits, there are no guarantees; and, while many dangerous drug MDL cases are successful, some are not.

If you have a claim related to a drug that is the subject of an ongoing MDL proceeding, your lawyer will be able to explain the current status of the litigation and what this means for asserting your legal rights.

If you have a claim related to a drug that is not the subject of an ongoing MDL proceeding, you still can (and should) take legal action—you just won’t be able to join a litigation proceeding that is already pending. In this scenario, you may need to work with your lawyer to pursue your claim independently, or there may be other people like you who are just now thinking about coming forward.

Ultimately, regardless of the specific steps you need to take, if you are entitled to just compensation, your lawyer will be able to help you seek the compensation you deserve.

In any case, once you hire a lawyer to represent you, you can expect to work closely with your lawyer throughout the process. Your lawyer will need your help to calculate the value of your claim; and, if a settlement offer is on the table, your lawyer will need you to make an informed decision about whether to accept (your lawyer will give you advice, but this is ultimately your decision to make). Your lawyer may need you to provide information or input at various other stages of the process as well. But, when it comes to dealing with the pharmaceutical company and asserting your legal rights in court, you can—and should—rely on your lawyer to fight for justice on your behalf.

Are You Entitled to Financial Compensation? Find Out for Free

Have you been diagnosed with a medical condition linked to a prescription or over-the-counter drug? If so, we strongly encourage you to contact us for more information about your legal rights. To speak with an experienced dangerous drug lawyer at Searcy Denney in confidence, please call 800-780-8607 or request a free initial consultation online today.