Taxotere Bellwether Plaintiff’s Punitive Damages Claim Dismissed

NEW ORLEANS — The federal judge overseeing the Taxotere (docetaxel) hair loss multidistrict litigation docket has dismissed a bellwether plaintiff’s punitive damages claim against Hospira Inc., ruling it is barred under Louisiana law.

In a Jan. 12 order, Judge Jane Milazzo of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana found Louisiana, rather than Illinois, law governs the plaintiff’s claims because that state has the greatest interest in the action.

In May 2020, the MDL court selected Audrey Plaisance to proceed with discovery in preparation for the fifth bellwether trial. Plaisance, a Louisiana resident, alleges she sustained permanent …