Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit FAQs

Who Is the Defendant in the Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit?

The Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits are against drug company Pfizer. Pfizer is the manufacturer of the long-approved and widely used birth control shot. The active drug in this shot is medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). When given every three months, it stops ovulation and thickens cervical mucus, making it very effective at preventing pregnancy. 

What Is the Basis of the Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit?

Recent studies have linked the use of birth control shots containing medroxyprogesterone acetate with an increased risk of developing meningiomas. This is a specific type of brain tumor that can be malignant or benign. 

One study, published in The BMJ in March of 2024, uncovered a significant link between this drug and the risk of developing this type of brain tumor. 

What Are the Effects of a Meningioma?

Meningiomas occur in the membrane that lines and protects the brain. Symptoms of these tumors can include: 

• Debilitating headaches
• Vision changes
• Dizziness and vertigo
• Memory issues
• Seizures

Some are cancerous and require additional treatment to prevent spread. Management of symptoms and treatment of tumors can bring extensive medical bills, missed time at work, and other expenses and losses. 

The study did not uncover why these tumors are more common in those who took the birth control shot, but additional research is underway as of November 2024. 

What Damages Can I Recover in a Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Case?

You can seek and recover money for almost any costs related to diagnosis, treatment, or management of your symptoms. When working with a personal injury lawyer familiar with handling dangerous drug cases, they will identify your entire range of expenses and losses, including your non-economic damages. This could include: 

• Medical bills and estimated future care costs
• Income losses and diminished earning ability if you do not return to work
• Related costs
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Wrongful death damages for families whose loved ones died from cancerous brain tumors

Under some circumstances, punitive damages could be awarded in these cases. These damages are meant to penalize the defendant and prevent similar incidents in the future. Many factors play a role in determining if a judge or jury might award punitive damages to victims. 

Will The Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit Become a Mass Tort?

As of November 2024, the Depo-Provera lawsuits are all individual cases filed against the drug company. However, there is a chance this could become a mass tort in the near future. It is still very early in the process. 

At The Goldwater Law Firm, we are carefully following this case and waiting to see if the U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation will consolidate these cases into multidistrict litigation (MDL). This would allow all cases to move through the initial stages—primarily pre-trial motions and discovery—as a single case. This saves money and time and will enable plaintiffs to build a more robust case when they can pool their resources. 

If this happens, your mass tort lawyer will know how to manage your case as a part of the mass tort. They can answer your questions and fight for maximum compensation for you. 

Who Qualifies to File a Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit?

If you took Depo-Provera and have a meningioma diagnosis or if your loved one died from this type of brain tumor, you may qualify to sue the drug’s manufacturer. You will need to have: 

• Received at least four consecutive injections of a qualifying drug
• Used the birth control shot after 1992
• Have at least two years between your first injection and your tumor diagnosis
• Know where you received the shots, whether from your doctor, a pharmacy, or a clinic

The birth control shots that may qualify you to file a Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit include: 

• Depo-Provera
• Depo-SubQ
• A generic version of Depo-Provera

What Should I Do If I Believe I Qualify for the Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit?

If you believe you may qualify to file a Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit, contact our team today. We provide free, confidential case evaluations. We want to discuss your case with you, answer any specific questions you have, and connect you with a co-counsel filing these lawsuits. We have law firm partners in all 50 states. 

Our co-counsels are filing Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits based on contingency. You can get representation from an experienced attorney with no upfront fees or costs. You will only pay the lawyer if they win your case and secure compensation for you. 

Are There Deadlines for Filing a Depo-Provera Lawsuit?

We are still very early in the process of holding Pfizer accountable for the increased risk of brain tumors linked to their drug. As of November 2024, the only deadline that applies in these cases is for families who lost a loved one. How long they have to act depends entirely on their state’s statute of limitations for wrongful death. 

Our team can assess this deadline, and you may qualify to pursue wrongful death damages based on your loved one’s illness and death as long as you have more than 90 days before the deadline arrives.