Smith & Nephew Asks BHR Hip MDL Judge for Federal-State Coordination Order

BALTIMORE — Smith & Nephew Inc. has asked the judge overseeing the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing docket to enter an order coordinating the MDL with parallel state court litigation, arguing that it will prevent duplication of discovery.

In an April 5 motion filed before Judge Catherine Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, S&N argues that a coordination order will also ensure efficiency and save substantial expense associated with the litigation.

After the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation originally established the MDL, the parties and MDL court proceeded under the assumption that the MDL was limited to …