Update: Avandia Settlements Average $46K

By Amaris Elliott-Engel
Of the Legal Staff
 
Last week, The Legal reported that the first bellwether trial in the Avandia Multidistrict Litigation, based in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, did not go off because two plaintiffs' attorneys settled their inventories.

Now, AmLaw Litigation Daily, an affiliate of The Legal, with a hat tip to Bloomberg for breaking the news, is reporting that the inventory settled 5,500 cases for $250 million, or an average of $46,000 each.

The settling attorneys were plaintiffs attorneys Joseph J. Zonies of Reilly Pozner in Denver, and Thomas Cartmell of Wagstaff & Cartmell in Kansas City, Mo..

The plaintiffs suing drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline over alleged injuries from their use of Avandia argue that it causes heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions, in diabetic patients taking the drug.

Comments

[Howard]

Settlement????????? as i once heard before the lawyers are making all the money. I have seen nothing and now they do not even return phone calls or emails.

[Shalee]

Is this $46,000 for the injured person or is the $46,000 split with the attorneys?

[Willie berry]

Im trying to contact my lawyer I have no way of getting in touch with him he haven't updated me any information could you please email me back an let me no what going on

[wagon]

i think the lawyers took the first offer to get in on the fast money to be made not in the best intrest of us . now they ara sitting on the money drawing intrest ,giving out misleading info. and using a little psycology to make you wait and be glad to take any offer just to get it over. if anyone else feels this way also please contact me at this web site

[richard]

a little real information would be nice, but all we get is the same old "run around"---when I asked about this settlement, they denied that there was a settlement---typical

[richard gross]

What now?
I signed a sttlement agreement over a month ago, but still no sign of a check!
Do I have to wait another year!

[brian]

I get return calls and have been accepted for settlement by GSK

but i have not heard anything since march 11 2012
my concern about calling is how much per return call costs

[deborah knight]

why don't they give people they're money. I guess they are going let sit in bank draw intest. may we shoud sue them and file complaints with all right people.

[Talfer Porter]

I recieved a letter stating the case is settled and the money is drawing interest, but the question is why is'nt the funds being disbursed. This is a case of law suit wait it out. Accountability is lacking by this law firm.

[Howard Bareford]

Reilly Poznet and Connelly i asked about a advance and had approach a company. they told me to deal with another company they had ties with. so i guess i can kiss getting anything else because they said they plan to pay everyone by last christmas and is almost a year past that dead line. I will never use them again as I feel they are just using the people who suffer.I almost want to hire a attorney to challenge them.

[JAFFARI, ZAFAR]

ME ALSO VICTIM ,BEEN WAITING FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR,GOT ONLY SMALL PORTION OF MY SETTLEMEN,,MY LAW FIRM KEEP TELLING ME , PLEASE BE PATIENT FOR NEXT PAYMENT.
WHY OUR ATTORNEYS ARE DOING SO, ANND HOLDING OUR MONEY FOR NOTHINGH.

[James Behan]

Reilly Pozner LLP:
They have been working on my case for over 5 years now; while other law firms have long since settled. $46,000 is NOT the average pay- out. It goes on a point basis and just how injured you were, AMI, Stroke, CHF. In most cases when you call them you will get the run around and never be able to speak to your attorney of record, but some assistant. letters are being sent out with a break-down of what you will receive, but they will not say when that will happen either. The checks are to follow no later then 30 days from when they have this new signed letter back. Now it's payment by February 2013; I will believe that when I see the check and it does not bounce. But yes, the attorney's are averaging 47% to 66% of the gross settlement, plus all the interest from the money sitting in the bank.