Discover crucial March 2025 updates on six high-profile ongoing nationwide mass torts. Recent developments include additional lawsuits filed, multi-district litigation (MDL) news, and up-to-date scientific studies in the Uber sexual assault lawsuits, Pfizer’s Depo Provera, and the Roundup, Talcum Powder, and AFFF firefighter foam litigation.
In most of these mass torts, we continue to see lawsuits filed into March 2025 and beyond, with new evidence and scientific studies continuing to surface. Read on for the latest news and updates and what they mean for plaintiffs.
Uber Sexual Assault 2025 - Latest News and Updates
Sexual assault lawsuits against Uber continue to increase into 2025, with 1,600 lawsuits pending as part of the MDL on March 3, 2025. In addition, well over 500 Uber sexual assault lawsuits are pending in a California state court, bringing the total number of pending lawsuits to over 2000.
Early 2025 also saw the filing of new lawsuits, including one from a Louisiana individual alleging Uber’s negligence in handling their sexual assault complaint. The plaintiff accused the company of failing to screen drivers adequately, posing an unreasonable risk to women passengers.
Uber MDL Update
Recent developments in the Uber sexual assault MDL include a late December 2024 push by plaintiff attorneys to obtain Uber’s marketing materials for discovery, which the company has yet to provide. These documents are vital evidence for claims related to rider safety and driver background checks.
As of March 2025, the preparations for bellwether trials are in full swing. Twenty potential sexual assault cases have been selected for the initial trial pool, with both the plaintiffs and defendants choosing ten cases each. The legal teams will now start gathering evidence and preparing these cases for the upcoming bellwether trials.
Plaintiffs must file amended complaints by March 14, 2025, with discovery closing in September. The bellwether trial is set to begin on December 8, 2025.
Uber to Produce Safety Data
Plaintiff lawyers recently submitted a letter to the court outlining the production of U.S. Safety Report data. Uber must now provide a comprehensive dataset, including files related to up to 375 safety incidents and reports of sexual assaults.
Lyft Is Also Being Sued
Uber isn’t the only rideshare company in hot water for alleged sexual assaults of passengers. In early 2025, a Colorado lawmaker filed a lawsuit against the rideshare company Lyft, alleging she suffered a sexual assault by a Lyft driver.
Depo Provera Lawsuit 2025 - Latest News and Updates
As of March 3, 2025, 78 lawsuits are pending against Pfizer, the manufacturer of Depo Provera. More lawsuits are expected to surface throughout 2025.
New Depo Provera MDL Established
A hearing before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) in Miami on January 30, 2025, confirmed the creation of multidistrict litigation (MDL).
Litigation of the MDL and the now pending 78 Depo-Provera lawsuits against Pfizer will occur in Florida under Judge Rodgers, surprising both sides since Pfizer wanted New York and plaintiffs preferred California for the MDL.
The panel chose Florida as neutral territory and selected Judge Rodgers based on her experience handling complex cases, including the recent $6 billion 3M earplug litigation. This consolidation will help process claims more efficiently as plaintiffs argue Pfizer didn't properly warn about the contraceptive's risks.
The first bellwether trials for Depo Provera are expected to start in mid-2025. The bellwether trials will give an indication of how juries might respond to evidence linking the birth control shot to brain tumors. Successful outcomes for plaintiffs in these trials could lead to substantial settlements or verdicts in the future.
New Medical Study Links Depo Provera to Brain Tumors
Findings outlined in a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) late in 2024 support the recent Depo Provera lawsuits. Researchers established that women injected with Depo-Provera over a period of a year or more had a 5.6-times higher risk of developing intracranial meningiomas, rare types of brain tumors.
US Women Were Left in the Dark About Depo Provera Tumor Risk
American Depo-Provera users were unaware of actions taken in Europe and Canada regarding the contraceptive’s potential link to rare brain tumors. While European and UK health authorities updated their warning labels to specifically mention meningioma risks, Pfizer failed to add similar warnings on the labels of their US product.
This discrepancy may provide an added boost to lawsuits filed by American women who claim they developed brain tumors after using the medication.
Hair Relaxer Lawsuit 2025 - Latest News and Updates
As of March 2025, the pending number of MDL hair relaxer lawsuits now stands at 9,788. Hair relaxer lawsuits have been filed against L’Oreal over alleged harm caused by their products. The cases are consolidated under a multidistrict litigation (MDL) overseen by Judge Mary M. Rowland. Despite the defendants’ motion to dismiss, the judge allowed claims of failure to warn, negligence, and strict liability to proceed.
Plaintiffs who filed by February 1, 2024, must by now have submitted detailed fact sheets, which were due by February 28, 2025. The oral discovery deadline is September 30, 2025.
A new study in the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology found links between hair relaxers and cancers like breast and ovarian cancer. Harmful chemicals identified in the study can enter the body through the scalp and act as hormone disruptors, potentially increasing cancer risk. These new findings provide plaintiffs with stronger evidence to support their claims in upcoming litigation.
Formaldehyde Ban on Hold
The proposed ban on formaldehyde in hair relaxers is currently on hold after a Trump executive order paused all federal regulations. As of March 2025, only three states (Maryland, California, and Washington) have banned formaldehyde in hair products.
Bellwether Trial Update March 2025
In a new twist in the ongoing MDL litigation, both plaintiffs and defendants have received fresh instructions from Judge Mary Rowland regarding bellwether trials. Plaintiffs initially proposed selecting just 16 cases, with the first trial beginning in September 2025.
However, Judge Rowland has significantly expanded the selection and now requires each side to identify 20 potential cases, creating a pool of 40 candidates that will undergo discovery before being narrowed to just 12 finalists.
This expanded approach provides a wider testing ground for the key arguments in the litigation. The court has set a deadline of April 30, 2025, for the parties to exchange their selected cases, setting the stage for the critical bellwether trials that will determine the trajectory of the entire litigation.
Revlon Discovery Issues
Currently, Revlon, also a named defendant in some hair relaxer lawsuits, is facing discovery issues. The manufacturer was expected to provide updated answers to a list of unclear product names provided by plaintiffs by February 18, 2025.
Since Revlon is in bankruptcy proceedings, it may be challenging for plaintiffs to recover damages.
Roundup Lawsuit 2025 - Latest News and Updates
Current Roundup litigation figures show 4,414 cases remain in the MDL as of March 3, 2025, with no recent additions. This stagnation reflects widespread settlements and the shift of unresolved lawsuits to state court systems. Altogether, approximately 170,000 lawsuits had been filed against Bayer over Roundup, with around 100,000 cases settling for a total of $11 billion. New lawsuits are expected to emerge during 2025.
Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has recently appealed a $175 million jury verdict awarded to Ernest Caranci, who alleged Roundup caused his cancer. The appeal, filed in the Pennsylvania Superior Court, challenges the jury’s decision, citing court misconduct and a lack of scientific basis. The outcome of this appeal is pending, with a decision expected later in 2025.
New Studies Linking Roundup Exposure to Adverse Health Effects
A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) in January 2025 documents the adverse health effects of Roundup exposure on unborn children. Researchers observed that increased exposure to Roundup resulted in low birth weight and other health issues.
The study maintains that current regulations are not stringent enough, and the use of Roundup is not monitored adequately to protect rural populations from adverse health effects.
Iowa Legislation Moves to Shield Pesticide Manufacturers from Warning-Related Lawsuits
Iowa legislators pushed forward a controversial bill in February 2025 that would prevent consumers from suing pesticide manufacturers for failing to warn about health risks. This new law would apply to all EPA-approved products, including Roundup.
The bill has drawn criticism from environmental advocates and legal professionals who argue it would effectively block Iowa farmers and workers suffering from pesticide-related illnesses from pursuing legal remedies for their injuries. The effects of this bill on nationwide litigation, if any, remain to be seen.
Talcum Lawsuit 2025 - Latest News and Updates
The nationwide litigation over talcum powder enters a critical stage as thousands of cancer patients seek compensation. Meanwhile, manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is trying to wrap up claims with a controversial bankruptcy procedure involving a subsidiary.
Johnson & Johnson’s $9 Billion Talc Settlement Finds Favor
J&J faces mounting pressure from over 58,000 talcum powder lawsuits pending in New Jersey MDL. J&J had proposed an $8 billion settlement plan in 2024, which included an additional $1.1 billion added to the initial $6.48 billion offer.
The settlement plan requires approval from 75% of plaintiffs. According to J&J, 83% of plaintiffs favored the settlement plan.
J&J’s Controversial “Texas Two-Step” Bankruptcy Strategy Under Scrutiny
A pivotal February bankruptcy hearing in Texas is evaluating J&J's attempt to resolve talc litigation through its subsidiary Red River Talc. J&J attorneys are adamant that their $9 billion proposal is the only viable path forward, while opponents challenge the pre-bankruptcy voting process as flawed and demand a fresh vote.
Recent Research Strengthens Cancer Connection
A 2024 National Institutes of Health study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has reinforced plaintiffs’ claims by identifying a link between talc use and ovarian cancer. This research, conducted over several years and based on data from over 50,000 women, potentially undermines J&J’s longstanding position that its talc products are safe and non-carcinogenic.
AFFF Firefighter Foam Lawsuit 2025 - Latest News and Updates
Active lawsuits against AFFF manufacturers grew to 8,430 in March 2025. Settlement talks appear imminent as 3M faces mounting legal pressure. Judge Gergel’s recent ruling confirming PFAS-related health impacts has weakened the company’s position. With several potentially plaintiff-friendly decisions expected in the coming months, 3M may opt to resolve cases rather than risk costlier courtroom defeats.
Bellwether trials for the AFFF lawsuit are expected to begin in October 2025, with the potential for a global settlement in due course.
A December 2024 study from the University at Buffalo revealed that PFAS chemicals found in AFFF impact important brain health genes. This neurotoxic effect is evident regardless of a person’s exposure level to the toxic substance, meaning even exposure to small amounts of PFAS can cause detrimental health effects.
Additionally, the U.S. Government filed a motion to be dismissed as a defendant in the AFFF MDL, with a hearing having taken place in February. Plaintiffs and their legal counsel are closely watching the MDL developments and preparing for potential settlements or trial outcomes.
PFAS Ban in Limbo
The Trump administration withdrew a proposed ban on PFAS in drinking water in late January 2025. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wanted to limit PFAS in drinking water and industrial wastewater to protect public health from the harmful forever chemicals.
Overturning the PFAS ban could increase plaintiffs burden of proof to demonstrate that the PFAS in AFFF caused their diseases and health problems. It may also be challenging for plaintiffs to argue that PFAS manufacturers violated safety standards.
Future Mass Tort Developments
We closely monitor the developments and outcomes of these six mass tort cases, which will significantly impact those injured and their families, as they could lead to substantial settlements. The scheduled bellwether trials and new, emerging scientific studies will be vital to resolving this high-profile litigation.
In addition, the outcomes of these claims are crucial not only for those directly involved but may also set new precedents in mass tort litigation. We’ll keep you informed as and when new developments emerge in these evolving cases.
