Judge Refuses to Consolidate Biomet Hip Case with Other Pending Actions

BALTIMORE — A Maryland federal judge has refused to consolidate a Biomet M2a Magnum Hip System case with two other pending Biomet hip cases, noting that unlike the other lawsuits, the plaintiff seeks to recover from a device distributor and its president.

In a Nov. 19 order, Judge Ellen L. Hollander of the U.S. District Court for the explained that the addition of the distributor defendants “changes the landscape for joinder” because their presence “would likely require the presentation of additional evidence, unrelated to the Biomet defendants.”

Anna Laughlin sued Biomet Inc., Biomet Orthopedics, Biomet U.S. Reconstruction LLC, and Biomet …