What Is the Average Payout for a Zantac Lawsuit?

There is no way to know the average payout for a Zantac lawsuit as of June 2022. At this time, there are no settlement offers or other pending resolutions in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving the Zantac and ranitidine cancer lawsuits.

This litigation, MDL 2924 in RE: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, is still very early in the litigation phases. It will likely be several more months before bellwether trials begin, and we do not anticipate any settlement before the conclusion of at least one of these cases. Even then, settlements depend on many factors, and it may be impossible to offer an average that informs how much your case may be worth.

Financial Compensation for Zantac Cancer Lawsuits

Like other types of lawsuits based on physical injuries, a ranitidine cancer lawsuit may allow an injured party to recover compensation related to their expenses, financial losses, and intangible damages. Some examples of covered damages in these cases could include: 

• The cost of cancer treatments, including hospitalization, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and related medical support
• Lost income while they cannot work
• Diminished earning capacity if they are too ill to return to work
• Related miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

While there is no way to know how the jury will rule in the bellwether cases or individual lawsuits, punitive damages could also be available in a defective drug case. Punitive damages do not compensate victims for their injuries or losses. Instead, they penalize the defendant for their intentional or particularly negligent behavior. For example, if the MDL established that the drug manufacturer knew about the increased cancer risk, punitive damages may be available.

Some families are also filing wrongful death actions after their loved one’s passing. If you lost your family member to cancer after they took Zantac or another ranitidine formula, you may have a viable compensation claim. Connect with a Zantac lawsuit attorney to discuss your legal options as soon as possible. 

Class Action, Multidistrict Litigation, and Other Zantac Mass Torts

Currently, the only mass tort underway in the Zantac case is MDL 2924, RE: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation. This is the multidistrict litigation action currently working through pretrial motions and discovery as of June 2022. The case is in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, with the Honorable Robin L. Rosenberg presiding. 

According to the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), 2,106 plaintiffs participated in MDL 2924 as of June 15, 2022. Experts expect this number to continue to rise. Heartburn medications are among the most commonly used drugs, and millions of people used ranitidine each year. 

Because of the large number of people who took Zantac and related drugs, a class action lawsuit could also occur. This would be for users who do not have a cancer diagnosis but did not receive any warning of the cancer risks before using the drug. Class action lawsuits generally work like one large lawsuit, and the class members split the settlement or award evenly.

Other Consumers Are Taking Legal Action after Taking Generic Ranitidine

While brand-name Zantac manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, and Sanofi are the primary defendants in this lawsuit, they are not the only manufacturers involved. However, there is some confusion about eligibility for those who only took generic versions of the drug. 

When U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg granted a motion that effectively ended all claims based on design defects of the drug, it left many plaintiffs and potential claimants wondering what to do. Reuters reported this motion on January 8, 2021. This motion did not end all claims against generic manufacturers, however. Instead, these plaintiffs must approach their cases differently.  

Their lawyers need to reorganize their arguments following the directions outlined by the court in the ruling. This could allow plaintiffs’ claims to continue and possibly strengthen their lawsuits against the drug companies. Of course, those who have not yet started their generic ranitidine lawsuits can follow this new roadmap set by Judge Rosenberg to strengthen their claim.

You Only Have Two Years to File a Zantac Case in Illinois

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, those who suffered injuries only have up to two years to start a lawsuit. This statute of limitations applies to all personal injury cases, including defective drug cases. Each state sets its own statute of limitations, and exceptions may exist. 

Meeting the deadline set by the statute of limitations is essential to protecting your right to seek financial recovery. If you miss your state or jurisdiction’s deadline, the court could bar you from acting to recover compensation. This could mean you cannot recover any money for your expenses and losses. 

Meeting any applicable deadlines is imperative when navigating the claims process or the legal system. When you work with an attorney, they will manage this for you. However, you must act to enlist their help with enough time for them to move your case forward before the deadline. 

Zantac Heartburn Medication Usage

Zantac first received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1983. The FDA initially approved it for short-term use of stomach ulcers. However, this quickly expanded to include the prevention and treatment of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Both are incredibly common health complaints.

According to Reuters, Zantac became the top-selling drug in the world within five years of its U.S. approval. The medication made more than $1 billion in annual sales for its original manufacturer, now known as GlaxoSmithKline PLC. It was the first drug to reach this financial milestone.

Within 15 years, generics and over-the-counter (OTC) versions hit the market, and millions of consumers used the prescription or OTC ranitidine regularly. This continued until concerns about the medication—both brand-name and generic—led to the recall in 2020.  

What Do People Now Use to Treat These Conditions?

Doctors have recommended diet and lifestyle changes for those with heartburn or GERD for years. While this option may be effective for some people, others require FDA-approved medications to manage their symptoms. The agency recommended: 

• Prilosec or omeprazole generics
• Nexium or esomeprazole generics
• Prevacid or lansoprazole generics
• Pepcid or famotidine generics
• Tagamet or cimetidine generics

You may notice that some of these medications sound a little like ranitidine. This is because they are the same class of drugs: histamine H2-receptor antagonists or H2 blockers. 

According to the FDA, however, there is no indication these drugs have the same concerns as ranitidine. This includes Pepcid and Tagamet. Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid are proton pump inhibitors and work to prevent heartburn and reflux differently. 

What are Mass Tort Cases, and Will There be a Mass Tort Zantac Cancer Case?

Mass torts provide a way for many lawsuits to move through the court system at the same time, preventing cases with a large number of plaintiffs from clogging up lower courts for months or years. In addition, they allow the plaintiffs to work together to prove their allegations. This makes it easier for individuals to prove negligence on behalf of a large corporation such as a drug manufacturer.

There are two primary types of mass torts: 

• Multidistrict litigation (MDL)
• Class action lawsuits 

Both types of mass torts bring plaintiffs who suffered injuries because of the same defendant together. However, there are significant differences. These include: 

• In class action suits, the outcome affects all class members (plaintiffs and potential plaintiffs).
• In MDL, the outcome of a bellwether trial does not directly affect other cases.
• Class members in a class action suit generally split settlements equally because they all had similar injuries.
• Plaintiffs in an MDL have varying damages and are more likely to receive a tiered or individual settlement offer.

A mass tort related to the Zantac cancer case is already underway: MDL 2924. As of June 2022, this MDL is currently in its early stages, where Judge Robin L. Rosenberg reviews and rules on pretrial motions, and each side conducts discovery. The next steps in the MDL include: 

• Selecting cases for bellwether (test) trials
• Beginning the first bellwether case, set for October 2022

After this initial jury trial, the plaintiffs will learn more about the potential for a tiered or global settlement or individual offers. Often in these cases, the defendant will wait to see how jurors react to the evidence available and how the trial proceeds before deciding if they want to offer settlements. Likewise, plaintiffs could drop their lawsuits if the jury believes there is insufficient evidence to rule in their favor.

Zantac Lawsuits for High Levels of NDMA

N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, is a naturally occurring organic chemical compound. However, it is a contaminant, and leading health organizations recommend limiting NDMA contamination levels whenever possible. This is difficult because it affects many foods, water supplies, air and water pollution, and products. While small amounts are unlikely to cause issues, larger amounts may be carcinogenic, meaning they could cause cancer. 

According to the FDA, reasonably safe levels of NDMA include: 

• Up to 0.096 micrograms 
• 0.32 parts per million (ppm)

In 2019, The Washington Post and other publications reported that an independent laboratory discovered high levels of NDMA in Zantac and generic ranitidine products. They concluded that the drug contained unacceptable levels of the compound. As a result, Zantac’s current manufacturer, Sanofi, voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. 

The FDA followed with a request for all manufacturers to remove ranitidine products from the market in April 2020. This includes all types of these medications—prescription, OTC, liquid, and pills. This was when the public became more aware of the potential dangers of these popular medications. As a result, the number of lawsuits filed began to rise. 

According to the filings in MDL 2924, some people who took Zantac or a generic ranitidine product now suffer from cancers that include:

• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Intestinal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Bladder cancer

What You Can Get in Zantac Cancer Cases

The goal of MDL 2924 is to hold the drug manufacturers legally responsible and get justice for those fighting cancer because of their alleged negligence. A settlement or court award might offer compensation for plaintiffs based on the severity of their cancer, the treatments they underwent, and the expenses they incurred. 

Damages might include:

• Medical bills and treatment-related expenses
• Loss of income
• Legal fees
• Funeral and burial costs for those who passed away
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages

However, there is no way to know how much you might recover in a Zantac cancer lawsuit at this time. It is too early to know how strong the case may be against these drug manufacturers. Discovery is still underway as of June 2022. Attorneys for the plaintiffs may present evidence that includes:

• Expert testimony from researchers
• A number of scientific literature articles linking NDMA to cancer

Who Is Eligible to Join MDL 2924?

You may be able to join the multidistrict litigation, RE: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, if you:

• Took Zantac or a generic regularly
• Received a cancer diagnosis after taking this medication

The easiest way to learn if you qualify and to get started is to speak with an attorney’s team familiar with the MDL. Most provide free case assessments and consultations. They also answer questions and offer case information in addition to evaluating the strength of your case.

Get Legal Help If You Faced Health Problems Because of Zantac

Connect with us today if you took Zantac regularly and later received a cancer di

There is no way to know the average payout for a Zantac lawsuit as of June 2022. At this time, there are no settlement offers or other pending resolutions in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving the Zantac and ranitidine cancer lawsuits.

This litigation, MDL 2924 in RE: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, is still very early in the litigation phases. It will likely be several more months before bellwether trials begin, and we do not anticipate any settlement before the conclusion of at least one of these cases. Even then, settlements depend on many factors, and it may be impossible to offer an average that informs how much your case may be worth.

Financial Compensation for Zantac Cancer Lawsuits

Like other types of lawsuits based on physical injuries, a ranitidine cancer lawsuit may allow an injured party to recover compensation related to their expenses, financial losses, and intangible damages. Some examples of covered damages in these cases could include: 

• The cost of cancer treatments, including hospitalization, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and related medical support
• Lost income while they cannot work
• Diminished earning capacity if they are too ill to return to work
• Related miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

While there is no way to know how the jury will rule in the bellwether cases or individual lawsuits, punitive damages could also be available in a defective drug case. Punitive damages do not compensate victims for their injuries or losses. Instead, they penalize the defendant for their intentional or particularly negligent behavior. For example, if the MDL established that the drug manufacturer knew about the increased cancer risk, punitive damages may be available.

Some families are also filing wrongful death actions after their loved one’s passing. If you lost your family member to cancer after they took Zantac or another ranitidine formula, you may have a viable compensation claim. Connect with a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal options as soon as possible. 

Class Action, Multidistrict Litigation, and Other Zantac Mass Torts

Currently, the only mass tort underway in the Zantac case is MDL 2924, RE: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation. This is the multidistrict litigation action currently working through pretrial motions and discovery as of June 2022. The case is in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, with the Honorable Robin L. Rosenberg presiding. 

According to the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), 2,106 plaintiffs participated in MDL 2924 as of June 15, 2022. Experts expect this number to continue to rise. Heartburn medications are among the most commonly used drugs, and millions of people used ranitidine each year. 

Because of the large number of people who took Zantac and related drugs, a class action lawsuit could also occur. This would be for users who do not have a cancer diagnosis but did not receive any warning of the cancer risks before using the drug. Class action lawsuits generally work like one large lawsuit, and the class members split the settlement or award evenly.

Other Consumers Are Taking Legal Action after Taking Generic Ranitidine

While brand-name Zantac manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, and Sanofi are the primary defendants in this lawsuit, they are not the only manufacturers involved. However, there is some confusion about eligibility for those who only took generic versions of the drug. 

When U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg granted a motion that effectively ended all claims based on design defects of the drug, it left many plaintiffs and potential claimants wondering what to do. Reuters reported this motion on January 8, 2021. This motion did not end all claims against generic manufacturers, however. Instead, these plaintiffs must approach their cases differently.  

Their lawyers need to reorganize their arguments following the directions outlined by the court in the ruling. This could allow plaintiffs’ claims to continue and possibly strengthen their lawsuits against the drug companies. Of course, those who have not yet started their generic ranitidine lawsuits can follow this new roadmap set by Judge Rosenberg to strengthen their claim.

You Only Have Two Years to File a Zantac Case in Illinois

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, those who suffered injuries only have up to two years to start a lawsuit. This statute of limitations applies to all personal injury cases, including defective drug cases. Each state sets its own statute of limitations, and exceptions may exist. 

Meeting the deadline set by the statute of limitations is essential to protecting your right to seek financial recovery. If you miss your state or jurisdiction’s deadline, the court could bar you from acting to recover compensation. This could mean you cannot recover any money for your expenses and losses. 

Meeting any applicable deadlines is imperative when navigating the claims process or the legal system. When you work with an attorney, they will manage this for you. However, you must act to enlist their help with enough time for them to move your case forward before the deadline. 

Zantac Heartburn Medication Usage

Zantac first received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1983. The FDA initially approved it for short-term use of stomach ulcers. However, this quickly expanded to include the prevention and treatment of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Both are incredibly common health complaints.

According to Reuters, Zantac became the top-selling drug in the world within five years of its U.S. approval. The medication made more than $1 billion in annual sales for its original manufacturer, now known as GlaxoSmithKline PLC. It was the first drug to reach this financial milestone.

Within 15 years, generics and over-the-counter (OTC) versions hit the market, and millions of consumers used the prescription or OTC ranitidine regularly. This continued until concerns about the medication—both brand-name and generic—led to the recall in 2020.  

What Do People Now Use to Treat These Conditions?

Doctors have recommended diet and lifestyle changes for those with heartburn or GERD for years. While this option may be effective for some people, others require FDA-approved medications to manage their symptoms. The agency recommended: 

• Prilosec or omeprazole generics
• Nexium or esomeprazole generics
• Prevacid or lansoprazole generics
• Pepcid or famotidine generics
• Tagamet or cimetidine generics

You may notice that some of these medications sound a little like ranitidine. This is because they are the same class of drugs: histamine H2-receptor antagonists or H2 blockers. 

According to the FDA, however, there is no indication these drugs have the same concerns as ranitidine. This includes Pepcid and Tagamet. Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid are proton pump inhibitors and work to prevent heartburn and reflux differently. 

What are Mass Tort Cases, and Will There be a Mass Tort Zantac Cancer Case?

Mass torts provide a way for many lawsuits to move through the court system at the same time, preventing cases with a large number of plaintiffs from clogging up lower courts for months or years. In addition, they allow the plaintiffs to work together to prove their allegations. This makes it easier for individuals to prove negligence on behalf of a large corporation such as a drug manufacturer.

There are two primary types of mass torts: 

• Multidistrict litigation (MDL)
• Class action lawsuits 

Both types of mass torts bring plaintiffs who suffered injuries because of the same defendant together. However, there are significant differences. These include: 

• In class action suits, the outcome affects all class members (plaintiffs and potential plaintiffs).
• In MDL, the outcome of a bellwether trial does not directly affect other cases.
• Class members in a class action suit generally split settlements equally because they all had similar injuries.
• Plaintiffs in an MDL have varying damages and are more likely to receive a tiered or individual settlement offer.

A mass tort related to the Zantac cancer case is already underway: MDL 2924. As of June 2022, this MDL is currently in its early stages, where Judge Robin L. Rosenberg reviews and rules on pretrial motions, and each side conducts discovery. The next steps in the MDL include: 

• Selecting cases for bellwether (test) trials
• Beginning the first bellwether case, set for October 2022

After this initial jury trial, the plaintiffs will learn more about the potential for a tiered or global settlement or individual offers. Often in these cases, the defendant will wait to see how jurors react to the evidence available and how the trial proceeds before deciding if they want to offer settlements. Likewise, plaintiffs could drop their lawsuits if the jury believes there is insufficient evidence to rule in their favor.

Zantac Lawsuits for High Levels of NDMA

N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, is a naturally occurring organic chemical compound. However, it is a contaminant, and leading health organizations recommend limiting NDMA contamination levels whenever possible. This is difficult because it affects many foods, water supplies, air and water pollution, and products. While small amounts are unlikely to cause issues, larger amounts may be carcinogenic, meaning they could cause cancer. 

According to the FDA, reasonably safe levels of NDMA include: 

• Up to 0.096 micrograms 
• 0.32 parts per million (ppm)

In 2019, The Washington Post and other publications reported that an independent laboratory discovered high levels of NDMA in Zantac and generic ranitidine products. They concluded that the drug contained unacceptable levels of the compound. As a result, Zantac’s current manufacturer, Sanofi, voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. 

The FDA followed with a request for all manufacturers to remove ranitidine products from the market in April 2020. This includes all types of these medications—prescription, OTC, liquid, and pills. This was when the public became more aware of the potential dangers of these popular medications. As a result, the number of lawsuits filed began to rise. 

According to the filings in MDL 2924, some people who took Zantac or a generic ranitidine product now suffer from cancers that include:

• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Intestinal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Bladder cancer

What You Can Get in Zantac Cancer Cases

The goal of MDL 2924 is to hold the drug manufacturers legally responsible and get justice for those fighting cancer because of their alleged negligence. A settlement or court award might offer compensation for plaintiffs based on the severity of their cancer, the treatments they underwent, and the expenses they incurred. 

Damages might include:

• Medical bills and treatment-related expenses
• Loss of income
• Legal fees
• Funeral and burial costs for those who passed away
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages

However, there is no way to know how much you might recover in a Zantac cancer lawsuit at this time. It is too early to know how strong the case may be against these drug manufacturers. Discovery is still underway as of June 2022. Attorneys for the plaintiffs may present evidence that includes:

• Expert testimony from researchers
• A number of scientific literature articles linking NDMA to cancer

Who Is Eligible to Join MDL 2924?

You may be able to join the multidistrict litigation, RE: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, if you:

• Took Zantac or a generic regularly
• Received a cancer diagnosis after taking this medication

The easiest way to learn if you qualify and to get started is to speak with an attorney’s team familiar with the MDL. Most provide free case assessments and consultations. They also answer questions and offer case information in addition to evaluating the strength of your case.

Get Legal Help If You Faced Health Problems Because of Zantac

Connect with us today if you took Zantac regularly and later received a cancer diagnosis. You may have strong support for filing a lawsuit and joining MDL 2924 or pursuing other legal options. A mass tort lawsuit attorney can also review your case if you took a generic ranitidine drug. 

Call us today to get connected with a law firm in our network.