Zimmer NexGen Judge Signs Off on Common Benefit Fund for Plaintiffs’ Counsel

CHICAGO — The judge overseeing the coordinated Zimmer NexGen knee implant litigation has approved a request by plaintiffs’ counsel to establish a common benefit fund and reimbursement for expenses of general benefit to plaintiffs in the MDL.

Provisions for a common fund were included in Pretrial Order No. 5 signed Feb. 19 by Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where the NexGen knee implant cases have been assigned.

The judge noted that similar funds are in place in other MDLs pursuant to a common benefit doctrine established by the U.S. Supreme Court …