As of February 2026, the legal landscape for Cartiva victims has changed. Due to the high volume of lawsuits alleging design defects and failure to warn, the federal court system has consolidated these cases into a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL).

The Details:

• MDL Name: IN RE: Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant Products Liability Litigation
• MDL Number: 3172
• Venue: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
• Judge: Honorable Judge Kristine G. Baker

What is an MDL? An MDL is not a class action. In a class action, everyone is part of one big lawsuit and splits a settlement. In an MDL, you maintain your individual lawsuit, but the pre-trial proceedings (discovery, gathering evidence, deposing corporate experts) are combined to save time and money.

The Goal: The goal of the MDL is to pressure the manufacturer into a "global settlement" by proving liability in a few initial "bellwether" trials. By hiring us, you ensure your case is filed correctly within this new federal framework.