Livingston v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedMarch 7, 2018
Docket1:17-cv-07650
StatusUnknown

This text of Livingston v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc (Livingston v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Livingston v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc, (N.D. Ill. 2018).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION

STEPHEN LIVINGSTON, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) No. 17 C 7650 ) Hon. Marvin E. Aspen HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE INC., ) ROCHE LABORATORIES, INC., ) DAVID SHANKER, M.D., ) DERMATOLOGY CHICAGO d/b/a, ) DERMATOLOGY CSI, LAKESHORE ) SURGICAL ASSOCIATES, LTD., ) ) Defendants. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER MARVIN E. ASPEN, District Judge: Presently before us is Defendants Hoffman-La Roche Inc. and Roche Laboratories Inc.’s (collectively, the “Roche Defendants”) motion to dismiss the claims against them for lack of personal jurisdiction. (Mot. to Dismiss (“Mot.”) (Dkt. No. 13).) Plaintiff Stephen Livingston filed this action in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois on May 26, 2017, alleging he suffered personal injuries after ingesting brand-name and generic isotretinoin, a prescription medication used for the treatment of acne. (See Compl. (Dkt. No. 5–4).) The Roche Defendants removed this case to federal court on October 23, 2017 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1332 and 1441, arguing complete diversity exists between Plaintiff and the Roche Defendants, and asserting the remaining defendants have been fraudulently misjoined. (See Notice of Removal (Dkt. No. 1) ¶¶ 5–6.) For the reasons set forth below, we grant the Roche Defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction without prejudice. BACKGROUND The Roche Defendants manufactured, distributed, and marketed the prescription acne medication Accutane, the generic name for which is isotretinoin, for use in treating severe recalcitrant nodular acne. (Notice of Removal ¶ 7.) Hoffman-La Roche Inc. is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey with its principal place of business in

New Jersey. (Id. ¶ 26.) Roche Laboratories Inc. is incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware with its principal place of business in New Jersey. (Id. ¶ 27.) Plaintiff alleges he was prescribed and took Accutane to treat his acne in 1999 and 2004. (Compl. at 1–8.) He received two Accutane prescriptions in 1999 from physicians in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he also filled his prescriptions and received medical care. (See Mot. at 3; see also Notice of Removal ¶ 8; Compl. at 2.) Plaintiff was again prescribed Accutane in 2004 by his physician in Columbus, Ohio, where he resided at the time. (Mot. at 4; see also Notice of Removal ¶ 8; Compl. at 6.) Although not at issue in this lawsuit, he also received isotretinoin in 2004 in the form of Amnesteen, a generic version of isotretinoin manufactured by

Mylan Bertek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Notice of Removal ¶ 8.) In 2003, Plaintiff developed a gastrointestinal condition known as inflammatory bowel disease. (Id. ¶ 10.) By 2005, his disease had progressed such that he had a surgical procedure to remove his colon. (Id.) Plaintiff alleges the Roche Defendants defectively manufactured and designed Accutane “in a way that when properly used as prescribed could cause inflammatory bowel disease in patients without a prior history of intestinal disorders.” (Compl. at 3–8.) He also asserts the Roche Defendants failed to warn physicians and patients of the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease associated with using Accutane. (Id.) After receiving two courses of treatment of Accutane and after having surgery to remove his colon, Plaintiff moved to Illinois in 2006. (Mot. at 4.) In 2007, Plaintiff received a prescription for generic isotretinoin in the form of Claravis. (See Compl. at 10–11; Mot. at 4.) Plaintiff alleges he was prescribed Claravis by Defendant David Shanker, M.D. (Compl. at 10.) Dr. Shanker was employed at the time by Defendants Dermatology CSI d/b/a Dermatology

Chicago and Lakeshore Surgical Associates, Ltd., all of whom are citizens of Illinois. (Id. at 4; Notice of Removal ¶¶ 9, 28–30.) Plaintiff alleges the Physician Defendants negligently prescribed isotretinoin, because they should have known that it was contraindicated for Plaintiff given his medical history. (Compl. at 9.) Plaintiff also alleges the Physician Defendants failed to advise of the risks, dangers, and symptoms associated with the use of isotretinoin. (Id.) Plaintiff filed this action in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois on May 26, 2017.1 Plaintiff’s complaint asserts four separate claims against the Roche Defendants for strict liability and negligence relating to the allegedly defective design and inadequate labeling of Accutane. (Id. at 1–8.) Plaintiff also alleges a medical negligence claim against the Physician Defendants,

contending they negligently prescribed Claravis in 2007. (Id. at 9–11.) The Roche Defendants were served with the complaint on September 21, 2017. (Notice of Removal ¶ 22.) No proceedings took place in the state court proceeding before the Roche Defendants removed the

1 Plaintiff previously commenced an action against the Roche Defendants and the Physician Defendants in the Circuit Court of Cook County on April 15, 2009. (Notice of Removal ¶ 14.) The lawsuit named several additional defendants, including Mylan Bertek Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the manufacturer of Amnesteem; Cardinal Health France and Cardinal Health Packaging Services, the distributors of Amnesteem; and Barr, the manufacturer of Claravis. (Id.) The Roche Defendants removed the case to this Court on April 29, 2009, and sought transfer to the then-pending Accutane MDL established by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. See Livingston v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., No. 09 C 2611, 2009 WL 2448804, at *1 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 6, 2009). The Court granted the plaintiff’s motion to remand and the case returned to state court. Id. at *9. Plaintiff eventually voluntarily dismissed the action. (Notice of Removal ¶ 20.) case to federal court on October 23, 2017. (Id. ¶ 21.) Plaintiff was served with written notice of the removal, and the Roche Defendants filed a copy of the Notice of Removal with the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. (Id. ¶ 56.) On December 8, 2018, the Roche Defendants filed the instant motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. (See Mot. at 1–2.) They contend that they are neither “at home” in

Illinois, nor has Plaintiff alleged any substantial connection between the Roche Defendants’ alleged injurious conduct and the forum. (Id.) They argue Plaintiff was not prescribed Accutane in Illinois, he did not use Accutane in Illinois, he was not injured by Accutane in Illinois, and his claims do not arise out of any alleged activity by the Roche Defendants in Illinois. (Id.) Accordingly, the Roche Defendants assert they are not subject to personal jurisdiction in Illinois, and we should dismiss the claims against them pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2). (Id.) On December 20, 2017, we entered a briefing schedule on the Roche Defendants’ motion to dismiss. (Dkt. No. 15.) Plaintiff’s response brief was due by January 8, 2018, and the Roche

Defendants’ reply brief was due by January 18, 2018. (Id.) On January 18, 2018, with no response having been filed, the Roche Defendants filed a reply brief. (Dkt. No. 16.) To date Plaintiff has neither filed a response brief nor moved for an extension of time to do so. LEGAL STANDARD If a court lacks personal jurisdiction over a party to an action, it must dismiss the case as to that party. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(2).

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Livingston v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/livingston-v-hoffmann-la-roche-inc-ilnd-2018.