The FDA issued a 2016 safety communication warning that Abilify (generic name: aripiprazole) can cause compulsive behavior in patients. Unfortunately, after 14 years on the market, the drug already harmed thousands of patients who developed compulsive gambling issues. Researchers now link Abilify to compulsive behaviors, including gambling and sex addiction, reckless shopping as well as binge eating disorders. Individuals suffered devastating consequences, damaging their economic, professional, and personal lives. As a result, federal MDL 2734 now holds nearly 1,000 pending Abilify gambling lawsuit claims. And the drug’s manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, chose to settle the first three bellwether trials before juries could hear any testimony.

Abilify Gambling Lawsuit Claims Can Still Join MDL 2734

Abilify gambling lawsuit claims can still transfer under MDL 2734 and potentially take part in any class-action settlements going forward. (MDLs are formed when multiple cases share similar allegations to save time and money.)

A federal judge approved this MDL on October 3, 2016 in the Northern District of Florida. The court docket states that all Abilify gambling lawsuit claims share allegations that the drug causes severe impulse control problems. There are three main questions at hand:

1. Whether the drug’s manufacturer defectively designed or manufactured Abilify;
2. If the drug’s manufacturer knew or should have known that patients might develop compulsive gambling or other negative behaviors;
3. Whether defendants provided adequate warnings and instructions for patients that Abilify could lead to gambling addiction and financial losses.

Check Your Eligibility for Compensation With a Abilify Gambling Lawsuit Claim

If you suffered serious financial damages from compulsive gambling behavior after starting Abilify, you may have an eligible claim. To see if you may qualify for compensation before filing your Abilify gambling lawsuit claim, get your free evaluation today. Take two minutes to answer a few short questions online, and you’ll see your results immediately after that. Once you’ve submitted your information, an Abilify lawyer will contact you and discuss how to best proceed with your case. Since Bristol-Myers didn’t disclose how much the first three settlements are worth, we can’t estimate how much you may get. However, your Ability gambling lawsuit claim will likely transfer under the federal MDL before the statute of limitations can expire. But if you wait too long to file your Abilify gambling lawsuit claim, you may lose your chance for compensation.

How Much is My Abilify Gambling Lawsuit Claim Worth?

Because Bristol-Myers has not reached a class action settlement for MDL 2734 yet, it is impossible to know what each individual case is worth. However, Otsuka and Bristol-Myers, the drug’s manufacturers and distributors, already agreed to settle ahead of the three Florida bellwether trials. In fact, MDLs always start with selected bellwether trials — the first cases that set the tone for all future litigation. Originally, the three Florida bellwether cases were scheduled for trial in June 2018. But Otsuka and Bristol-Myers decided to settle before any jury or judge could hear evidence in court.

An April 28, 2018 order states that defendants must pay “settlement proceeds” to resolve those bellwether cases. Following payment, the plaintiffs in those three Abilify gambling lawsuit cases will sign releases. Both parties will then agree to dismiss the cases rather than present their claims in court. While there’s currently no guarantee defendants will settle all cases without going to trial, this is good news for plaintiffs.