Court Ruling May Open Floodgates On Liability Cases Against Drugmakers
The California Supreme Court has decided that out-of-state residents can sue Bristol-Myers Squibb in California courts even though its headquarter are not in the state.
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California Court Hangs Out A Welcome Sign: Drug Makers Can Be Sued Here
In a closely watched decision, the California Supreme Court ruled 4-3 Monday that hundreds of out-of-state residents had the right to sue Bristol-Myers Squibb in the state court system over side effects caused by one of its drugs. At issue was the question of jurisdiction, which can be used to determine where a lawsuit may be filed. This particular ruling clarified the extent to which the drug maker needed to have a presence in California in order to be sued by people from Texas, Ohio, and 33 other states, who claim they were harmed by the Plavix blood thinner. (Silverman, 8/30)