Inside this issue: the $5.5 billion J&J talc settlement, Mass Tort MDL Watch across 10 dockets, the Depo-Provera Rule 702 hearing, Bard PowerPort trial results, NHTSA's new EDR rule, September litigation events, the Paralegal Docket, and more.
Draft n Craft Smart Paralegal Solutions · Since 2008

The Personal Injury Wire

A $5.5B settlement, a slowing Roundup docket, and the tech reshaping auto claims.

Vol III · August 2026
01

In the Spotlight

Johnson & Johnson Talc Litigation Update: Inside the $5.5 Billion Settlement Fight

A look inside the $5.5 billion settlement fight reshaping the J&J talc litigation.

Read the full story →
02

Mass Tort MDL Watch

The Headline Number
J&J Talcum Powder added +406 cases to reach 68,435 - though the July 27 announcement of the $5.5B settlement makes this likely the last month of significant growth for this docket.
Depo-Provera
Continued its historic run with +322 new cases in July (5,830 total), building on June's record-breaking +1,739.
Bard PowerPort
Added +188 cases - its strongest month yet - as the August 18 second bellwether trial drew new plaintiffs to the docket.
Bard Hernia Mesh
Shed another 191 cases in July (23,382 total), continuing its downward trend as settlement activity winds down the docket.
New Cases - July 2026
Net change in case count by MDL
J&J Talcum +406
Depo-Provera +322
Bard PowerPort +188
Hair Relaxer +154
GLP-1/Ozempic +85
Paragard IUD +40
Paraquat +14
Roundup +11
Suboxone -1
Bard Hernia Mesh -191 net
Fastest New filings Reduction
Total Active Cases
Cumulative total cases
J&J Talcum 68,435
Bard Hernia Mesh 23,382
Hair Relaxer 11,877
Paraquat 6,665
Depo-Provera 5,830
Paragard IUD 4,111
Roundup 3,920
GLP-1/Ozempic 3,848
Bard PowerPort 3,564
Suboxone 1,832
03

Law & Order

Depo-Provera MDL 3140 Update: Settlement Reached, But September Rule 702 Hearing Still Looms

A settlement has been reached in MDL 3140 - but the September Rule 702 hearing still looms over non-settling claims.

Read the full analysis →
04

The Deep Dive

Bard PowerPort Trial Results: One Verdict Down, Bigger Battles Await

One bellwether verdict is in for Bard PowerPort - with bigger battles still ahead in the docket.

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05

The Tech Brief

NHTSA's New EDR Rule Explained: How It Impacts Every Auto Accident Case

NHTSA's new Event Data Recorder rule is reshaping evidence in auto accident cases - here's what it means for your practice.

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06

Mark Your Calendars

Sep
3-6
Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, NV
Sep
15-16
The Charleston Place Hotel, 205 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401
07

The Paralegal Docket

The Power of Empathy in Paralegal Work: A Guide for PI and Mass Tort Teams

A practical guide to why empathy is a paralegal's most underrated skill in PI and mass tort work.

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08

From the DNC Desk

The Real Referral Driver

The single biggest driver of referrals in PI practice is not the case outcome. It is the client experience - how informed clients felt, how quickly their calls were returned, whether they understood what was happening with their case at every stage. An overloaded paralegal team cannot deliver that experience - not because they do not care, but because when the team is buried in medical records, demand drafts, and discovery responses, proactive client communication becomes reactive damage control. Since 2008, Draft n Craft has given over 450 U.S. law firms exactly that bandwidth - handling the high-volume back-office work that frees internal staff to focus on what clients actually remember: how they were treated. HIPAA-compliant, platform-integrated, and PI-exclusive.

Don't let bandwidth be the reason good cases get bad outcomes.

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