Panel Orders Consolidation of Hydroxycut Lawsuits

At least 16 Hydroxycut lawsuits filed across the country against the makers of the diet supplements will be consolidated for pretrial proceedings in a California courtroom, a move intended to speed the suits toward trial without duplicating efforts.

The U.S. Judiciary Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ruled in October that proceedings would be held in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, under the jurisdiction Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz, The decision came after the panel determined that the 16 cases were similar enough that many pretrial proceedings would be common to all of them. Six other cases may eventually be added to the group effort.

FDA Reports Force Recall of Hydroxycut Products

Hydroxycut, marketed as a weight-loss aid, was recalled by Iovate Health Sciences USA, Inc, in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agency informed the company that it has received 23 reports alleging liver damage caused by the products, including jaundice, damage requiring liver transplants, and one death from liver failure.

Consolidation is intended not only to eliminate duplicated efforts in pretrial hearings, but also to avoid inconsistent rulings in various jurisdictions that could interfere with establishing consistent legal precedence.

Some Object to Consolidation

Some litigants objected to the consolidation, contending that their cases were unique and could not be fairly adjudicated by the standards of other cases. Judge Moskowitz has the option of returning individual cases to their original jurisdictions if sufficient differences warrant or insufficient progress is made in the consolidated effort.

Contact a Defective Drugs Lawyer

If you or someone you know has suffered adverse health consequences as a result of using Hydroxycut products, you need to consult an experienced defective products liability attorney. Your attorney will review your case and help you decide how best to pursue your case, whether as part of a consolidated proceeding or as an individual case.