Active lawsuitDefective medical devicesMDL No. 2974
Paragard IUD breakage lawsuits
Paragard is a T-shaped copper intrauterine device (IUD) used to prevent pregnancy. Women across the country have filed lawsuits alleging that Paragard can break when a doctor removes it, leaving a piece of the device inside the body that may require another procedure or surgery to remove. Our legal team reviews these cases. If your Paragard broke during removal, you can ask for a free case evaluation.
the surgery report names the device
This page summarizes what pending lawsuits allege, based on court records and official sources. Allegations in a lawsuit are not findings by a court. It's general information, not legal advice about your situation. Last reviewed October 12, 2026.
On this page
At a glance
Paragard IUD Breakage Lawsuits
- Litigation
- In re: Paragard IUD Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2974
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- Judge
- Judge Leigh Martin May
- Centralized
- December 16, 2020
- Companies named
- Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and related Teva companies, including Teva Women's Health, LLC; The Cooper Companies, Inc. and CooperSurgical, Inc.
What the lawsuits allege
- Breakage on removal. Plaintiffs allege the Paragard IUD has a propensity to break upon removal. The JPML has said that all a case needs to fall within this MDL is an allegation that the device broke upon removal.
- Retained pieces. Plaintiffs allege that a broken arm or piece of the device stayed embedded in the body and required additional procedures, including surgery, to remove.
An MDL means many people have filed similar lawsuits. It does not mean any court has decided that the device was defective or caused anyone's injury.
Who may be eligible
You may be eligible for a free case evaluation if you had a Paragard copper IUD that broke when it was removed and you needed an additional procedure or surgery to remove a piece left behind.
Our attorneys look at
- When the IUD was placed and when it was removed
- What happened during removal, and what the records say about the broken piece
- The procedures you needed afterward, such as imaging, hysteroscopy or surgery
What to gather for your free evaluation
You don't need everything on this list to ask for an evaluation. Gather what you can.
- Records of the IUD insertion, including the date and the provider
- Records of the removal attempt, including any note that the device was not intact
- Ultrasound, X-ray or other imaging reports
- Operative reports from any later procedure or surgery
- The names of the doctors and facilities involved
- A short timeline of what happened and how it has affected you
Where the litigation stands
As of October 2026
- LitigationMDL No. 2974
- CourtU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- JudgeJudge Leigh Martin May
- CreatedDecember 16, 2020
As of October 2026, lawsuits allege that the Paragard copper IUD has a propensity to break upon removal, leaving pieces in the body that can require additional procedures or surgery. The MDL is pending before Judge Leigh Martin May in the Northern District of Georgia. Bellwether (test) trials of individual cases began in 2026, and the court has selected further bellwether cases for trial. A result in one bellwether trial does not decide anyone else's case.
What the label says
The FDA-approved prescribing information for Paragard states that breakage or embedment of the device in the uterine wall can make removal difficult and that surgical removal may be necessary.
Status checked October 12, 2026. This MDL is listed as pending on the JPML report of pending MDLs dated October 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Court dockets change; each page shows the date it was last checked.
Questions
My Paragard broke, but my doctor removed all the pieces in the office. Can I still ask?
Yes, you can ask. Our attorneys review what happened during and after removal, including any additional procedures you needed.
I still have a Paragard. What should I do?
Talk with your health care provider about your options. Don't change your care because of a lawsuit.
Is this a class action?
No. In an MDL, each person keeps an individual lawsuit. The cases are grouped before one federal judge for pretrial work.
Is there a deadline?
Yes. Each state sets its own filing deadline, called a statute of limitations, and an MDL does not pause it. The deadline that applies depends on your state and when the breakage was discovered, so it's best to ask early.
Official sources
Each link opens the original record in a new tab.
- Judicial Panel on Multidistrict LitigationJPML Transfer Order, MDL No. 2974 (filed Dec. 16, 2020)jpml.uscourts.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Judicial Panel on Multidistrict LitigationJPML Transfer Order on tag-along actions, MDL No. 2974 (filed Apr. 1, 2021)jpml.uscourts.gov (opens in a new tab)
- National Library of Medicine, DailyMedDailyMed: Paragard T 380A prescribing informationdailymed.nlm.nih.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Judicial Panel on Multidistrict LitigationJPML: Pending MDL Dockets by MDL Type, report date October 1, 2026jpml.uscourts.gov (opens in a new tab)
Did your Paragard break during removal?
Tell us what happened in a few sentences. Our legal team reviews every request, and we will contact you about your free case evaluation.
a few sentences is enough
A free case evaluation does not create an attorney-client relationship, does not file a claim and does not pause any deadline. We represent a client only after we both sign a written agreement.
a few sentences is enough