Q1 2026 MDL Snapshot: 158 Dockets, 197K Cases, and Where Mass Tort Filings Stand

The federal multidistrict litigation system entered 2026 carrying 158 active MDL dockets and 197,965 pending actions spread across 46 transferee districts. The concentration at the top is pronounced: the 25 largest MDLs account for 95.2% of all pending cases. The remaining 133 dockets share just 4.8% of the total caseload.

That concentration matters because trial dates, settlement frameworks, and record retrieval deadlines are converging across multiple dockets at once. Firms managing portfolios in any of the major MDLs face overlapping schedules, shifting causation standards, and caseloads that require systematic retrieval workflows.

The Top 10 MDLs by Case Count

The January 2026 data from MDL Update ranks every active docket by pending actions:

1. Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder (MDL-2738), 67,580 cases. The largest MDL by a wide margin. J&J's third-party bankruptcy strategy through subsidiary LTL Management was rejected twice by federal courts, keeping tens of thousands of ovarian cancer claims in active litigation.

2. Bard Hernia Mesh (MDL-2846), 23,749 cases. Bellwether trials have produced plaintiff verdicts, and settlement discussions focus on complication severity, including adhesions, infections, chronic pain, and organ perforations.

3. AFFF Firefighting Foam (MDL-2873), 15,213 cases. PFAS personal injury claims grew nearly 99% in 2025. Municipal water system settlements exceeded $12 billion, while individual personal injury claims remain in discovery.

4. Proton-Pump Inhibitor II (MDL-2789), 11,322 cases. Kidney injury claims against manufacturers of drugs like Nexium and Prilosec continue to move through case management orders.

5. Hair Relaxers (MDL-3060), 10,948 cases. Claims allege chemical hair straightening products caused uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Approximately 247 new cases are filed per month, with critical Daubert motions set for April 2026.

6. Bair Hugger Warming (MDL-2666), 8,666 cases. Lawsuits allege 3M's forced-air warming device caused deep joint infections following hip and knee replacements.

7. Cook Medical IVC Filters (MDL-2570), 6,896 cases. Claims assert inferior vena cava filters fractured, migrated, or perforated internal organs.

8. Paraquat (MDL-3004), 6,476 cases. Plaintiffs allege the herbicide caused Parkinson's disease. Settlement discussions continue following early bellwether selections.

9. Roundup (MDL-2741), 4,511 cases. The Bayer/Monsanto herbicide litigation continues, with active cases representing plaintiffs who opted out of earlier settlement pools.

10. Paragard IUD (MDL-2974), 3,800 cases. Claims allege the copper IUD fractured during removal, resulting in surgical interventions and complications.

Rapidly Growing MDL Dockets

Case counts alone do not capture litigation velocity. Several consolidating dockets are expanding rapidly:

GLP-1/Ozempic (MDL-3094) has grown rapidly, surpassing 3,191 pending actions with a 130% year-over-year increase. Claims center on gastroparesis, bowel obstruction, and vision loss (NAION). Bellwether selection is slated for mid-2026.

Depo-Provera (MDL-3140) moved from consolidation to over 2,100 cases within months. Plaintiffs allege the injectable contraceptive caused meningioma brain tumors, with early discovery focused on prescriber warnings and intracranial imaging.

NEC Infant Formula stands at 750+ cases in the federal MDL, with bellwether trials scheduled for August 2026, November 2026, and February 2027 regarding cow's-milk-based formula and necrotizing enterocolitis.

Camp Lejeune carries 3,600+ federal lawsuits and 409,910 administrative claims under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. While over $530 million has been paid out through elective options, bellwether track trials in the Eastern District of North Carolina will establish benchmark valuations for contested claims.

Key Litigation Dates

The next 12 months feature major procedural milestones across federal courts:

Each milestone affects inventory valuation. A Daubert ruling in hair relaxer affects qualification criteria, while an NEC verdict influences settlement ranges for formula dockets.

The Medical Evidence Bottleneck

Each major MDL requires a distinct set of clinical records. Talcum powder claims require gynecological oncology records spanning decades. Hernia mesh demands operative reports, revision records, and pathology notes. AFFF dockets require military, occupational, and civilian records across multi-decade exposure windows. GLP-1 cases require pharmacy logs, gastroenterology notes, and objective diagnostic tests like gastric emptying studies.

When a firm manages inventory across several MDLs, retrieving and organizing records becomes a primary operational challenge. Reverse search uses insurance data to fill in treatment gaps clients don't always remember, surfacing facilities, dates, and clinicians as needed.

Records generally return in 4 days on average, with roughly 30-40% returned same-day on electronic or portal requests. Each file receives an itemized per-case invoice that flows through as a recoverable case disbursement on settlement statements.

Preparing Case Files Ahead of Bellwether Windows

The Q1 2026 MDL landscape is defined by concentration and procedural convergence. Nearly all federal mass tort volume sits in a small group of dockets that are approaching trial dates, Daubert hearings, and settlement deadlines.

Firms with complete, verified medical records before bellwether verdicts land are positioned to submit accurate census forms, engage expert witnesses early, and resolve claims without administrative delays.

Sources: JPML Pending MDLs, MDL Update: January 2026, MDL Update: February 2026. Case counts reflect January 2026 JPML data unless otherwise noted. Growth rates calculated from publicly available MDL statistics.