SHERMAN - A Denton woman has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the manufacturers of NuvaRing, claiming she suffered a deep vein thrombosis shortly after using the birth control device.
Dawn Kregel filed suit against Organon USA Inc., Organon Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Organon International Inc., Schering-Plough Corp. and Merck & Co. Inc. on Jan. 9 in the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.
Kregel used the NuvaRing, a flexible vaginal ring prescribed as a monthly birth control device, for just over a month in 2010.
She states she was subsequently diagnosed with a DVT, allegedly caused by the defendants' products.
Kregel argues that the defendants failed to warn that that the ring product was associated with more thrombotic events than the pill. The defendants are accused of marketing, promoting and advertising that the ring product had a relatively low amount of estrogen in an effort to hide that it had a high level of dangerous third-generation progestin.
Kregel states that if she had known of the increased risks associated with the ring product that she would have used another method for birth control.
Causes of action filed against the defendant include strict product liability, breach of warranty, negligence, fraud and misrepresentation and consumer fraud.
The plaintiff is seeking more than $10 million in damages for pain, medical expenses, loss of time from her employment, loss of quality of life, exemplary damages, attorney's fees, interest and court courts.
Kregel is represented by Shezad Malik of Dr. Shezad Malik Law Office PC in Southlake.
A jury trial is requested.
U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider is assigned to the case.
Case No. 4:12-cv-00008