News: AW Attorney Aimee Wagstaff makes MDL history as Court appoints her National Co-Lead Counsel of the Ethicon Morcellator MDL with a PSC comprised of majority women!
Partner
In 2010, Aimee became a founding partner of Andrus Wagstaff. Since that time, she has dedicated the entirety of her professional life fighting against pharmaceutical and medical device companies who harm her clients by continually putting profits before safety. The vast majority of Aimee’s litigation is done through national mass tort consolidations, usually multidistrict litigations (MDLs) or Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCPs). In that regard, Aimee has been appointed by federal and state court Judges across the country to co-lead four national litigations by the age of 40, such litigations representing tens of thousands of injured claimants.
In 2016, the Honorable Vince Chhabria appointed Aimee to serve as national Co-Lead counsel of MDL 2741- In Re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation, situated in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. In that MDL, Plaintiffs allege that exposure to Monsanto’s billion dollar weed killer, Roundup, causes cancer. Because Roundup is sprayed on (an estimated) 80 percent of the food we eat, the case has generated considerable media attention. Here are a few of the articles: “EPA Official Accused of Helping Monsanto ‘Kill’ Cancer Study”, “Monsanto Weed Killer Roundup Faces New Doubts on Safety in Unsealed Documents”, “Monsanto Ghostwrote Cancer Studies of Its Own Weed Killer, Plaintiffs in Lawsuit Say.”
In 2015, Aimee made MDL history when the Honorable Judge Kathryn H. Vratil appointed her to serve as Co-Lead counsel of the first ever majority women MDL plaintiffs’ steering committee (PSC) – MDL 2652: In Re: Ethicon, Inc., Power Morcellator Products Liability Litigation, situated in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. The morcellator litigation involves women and their families all over the United States who have been diagnosed with devastating and permanent injuries, including leiomyosacroma (“LMS,” a deadly form of cancer), following the use of Ethicon’s power morcellator during a fibroid removal or hysterectomy surgery. That MDL was also historic for its pace of resolution, within a year.
Recently, the Honorable Judge Highberger appointed Aimee to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee of JCCP 4775: In Re Risperdal Product Liability Case, situated in Los Angeles County, California. To date, hundreds of cases have been filed in JCCP 4775 alleging Risperdal and/or Invega caused boys and young men to suffer from gynecomastia.
Additionally, the Honorable Joseph R. Goodwin, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, recently appointed Aimee to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee of: (1) MDL 2187: In Re C.R. Bard, Inc, Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation; (2) MDL 2325: In Re American Medical Systems, Inc. Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation Repair; (3) MDL 2326: In Re Boston Scientific Corporation, Pelvic Repair System products Liability Litigation; (4) MDL 2327: In Re Ethicon, Inc, Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation; (5) MDL 2387: In Re Coloplast Corp. Pelvic Support Systems Product Liability Litigation; (6) MDL 2440: In Re Cook Medical, Inc. Pelvic Repair System Product Liability Litigation; and (7) MDL: 2511 In Re Neomedic Pelvic Repair System Product Liability Litigation (collectively, transvaginal mesh (TVM) MDLs). Judge Goodwin also appointed Aimee to serve on the eight-member national executive committee overseeing the TVM MDLs and to serve as national co-lead of MDL 2326 against Boston Scientific Corporation. To date, Juries across the County, in several different jurisdictions have awarded TVM Plaintiffs over $240,000,000.00. Aimee was part of the trial team against Boston Scientific wherein a jury from the Southern District of West Virginia awarded 4 TVM Plaintiffs $18,500,000.00 after determining that Boston Scientific’s Obtryx product was defectively designed. The TVM MDLs will be remembered as one of the biggest (both in volume and value) product liability cases in American jurisprudence.
For her first leadership appointment, the Honorable Judge Andler from the Superior Court of California, County of Orange appointed Aimee Plaintiffs’ co-lead counsel of the Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP) 4615 In Re: Infusion Pump Cases. JCCP 4615 is a products liability proceeding against several medical device manufacturers after several hundred patients developed chondrolysis following the placement of a pain pump catheter after shoulder surgery.
In March 2013, Aimee founded and hosted the first annual “Women En Mass” (WEM) retreat that was held in Aspen, Colorado. WEM is an annual working retreat for amazing women in mass torts — a time to relax and enjoy each other’s company while creating new, and fostering old, relationships. If you are interested in attending, check out WEM’s website or contact Aimee directly, she would love to include you on the next invite/distribution list. If you are a social media type, “Like” Women En Mass on Facebook.
Prior to founding AW, Aimee gained invaluable experience with the defense bar as she billed countless hours working as a green associate for a large defense firm.
Aimee earned her undergraduate degree in Marine Science and Communications from the University of San Diego, where she played on the women’s soccer team.
Recent Success Stories
$18,500,000.00 BSC TVM Verdict: Boston Scientific gets slammed with huge verdict. AW Partner Aimee Wagstaff was an integral part of the trial team that represented 4 Plaintiffs who were injured after being implanted with Boston Scientific’s Obtryx product. After a month trial in the Southern District of West Virginia, the trial team secured a verdict of
18.5 Million dollars, including punitive damages after the jury found the Obtryx product was defective and Boston Scientific failed to warn the doctors. The trial was held before the Honorable Irene Berger.
HUGE Boston Scientific TVM Verdicts: AW Partner Aimee Wagstaff serves as National co-lead counsel of the TVM MDL against Boston Scientific. Currently, juries across the Country have awarded Boston Scientific Plaintiffs in excess of $118,000,000.00.
4.6 Billion in Settlements and over 240 Million in TVM Verdicts: AW Partner Aimee Wagstaff serves on the 8 person Executive Committee overseeing all federal TVM litigation. To date, Defendants have pledged over 1.6 Billion dollars in resolution monies and juries across the land have awarded over $240,000,000.00 in verdicts to TVM Plaintiffs.
Practice Areas
Pharmaceuticals
Medical Devices, Implants & Products
Consumer Products
Education
University of Denver Sturm College of Law
J.D.,
University of San Diego
B.A.,
Admissions
Missouri, 2018
California, 2011
Colorado, 2005
United States Supreme Court, 2011
Professional Associations
Women En Mass
Colorado Bar Association
Denver Bar Association
Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
American Association for Justice
Honors & Awards
2018 President for The Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association: Top 25.
Included in the 24th Edition of The Best Lawyers™ in America for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs.
2017 Recipient – “2017 Young Innovator Award” – Mass Torts Made Perfect.
2016 Member: “The RoundTable: America’s 50 Most Influential Lawyers” – The Trial Lawyer.
November 4, 2015: Aimee Wagstaff quoted in the following article regarding FDA classification of Zofran as a Category B drug: Daily Beast article.
November 2015: Aimee Wagstaff makes MDL history as Court appoints her National Co-Lead Counsel of the Ethicon Morcellator MDL with a PSC comprised of majority women.
2015 Article – “Empowering Women in Mass Torts“ – American Association for Justice.
2014 Article – “Blazing Through Mass Torts“ – American Association for Justice.
2013 National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys –
“Nationally Ranked Top 10 Attorney Award” For excellence in the field of Personal injury.
2010 Finalist –” Up and Coming Lawyers” – Law Week Colorado.
Representative Cases
IVC Filters
Roundup
Transvaginal Mesh
Our Cases
Catastrophic Personal Injury
Essure®
Hernia Mesh
Human Trafficking
IVC Filters
Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants
Roundup
Sexual Abuse & Assault
Talcum Powder
Transvaginal Mesh
