In 2006, Germany's Bayer Pharmaceuticals introduced a "dream" contraceptive in the US - not only did it prevent pregnancy, but this new "combo-contraceptive" was also touted as a cure for premenstrual syndrome and also a cure for acne. YAZ contains both synthetic progesterone and synthetic estrogen. It was the first drug brought to market that had the capacity to address three different issues/problems, and was the first drug ever approved in the US by the FDA to alleviate three separate problems. Everyone's dream, right?

Then Things Went Wrong For Bayer

Well, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Common side effects such as fatigue, irritability, weight gain, loss of libido, mood changes, nausea and breast tenderness were acknowledged by the manufacturer. But things got worse very quickly: young women, in the prime of their lives, suddenly started developing a series of serious problems after taking the drug. Women taking YAZ started reporting serious side-effects and illnesses that they attributed to YAZ. The long list of complaints leveled against Bayer's YAZ include heart attacks, stroke, blindness, liver cancer, breast cancer, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) gallbladder disease, pulmonary embolism, liver cancer, hypertension, hair loss, cerebral dysplasia, and cardiac arrhythmia. Women who smoke or who have certain preexisting conditions including kidney, liver or adrenal disease are especially susceptible. Women taking Yaz started dying. 100 million women have been prescribed Yaz. 50 deaths and 40,000 serious injuries have now been attributed to YAZ and its next-generation offspring including Yasmine, (the low-dose version of YAZ) as well as Ocella, the generic version. Other versions of YAZ include Gianvi, Loryna, Syeda, Vestura and Zarah.

FDA Censuring and Penalizing Bayer

Bayer has since been accused by the FDA of over-hyping the supposed benefits of YAZ without warning of the serious side effects the drug can induce or cause. Bayer has also been accused of failing to adequately test YAZ before releasing it, and for failing to issue a recall after these serious risks were first reported. In 2008, the FDA ordered Bayer to strengthen its label warning for YAZ, forcing it to carry the FDA's "Black Box Warning" - the highest level. The FDA holds that Bayer over-hyped the supposed benefits of YAZ while underplaying (or even ignoring) the drug's serious side effects and potential dangers. YAZ contains drospirenone, which is known to cause an unsafe increase in blood potassium levels, which can lead to heart problems and blood clots. The FDA has subsequently issued multiple warnings and has assessed multiple punishments against Bayer for inadequate warnings of the serious risk associated with this drug.

Women who became seriously ill while taking YAZ or its next-generation versions may be legally entitled to damages for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Relatives of those who died taking these drugs may be entitled to a lot more.

Non-Recourse Funding From Nationwide Litigation Funding

Bayer has to date settled over 5,000 YAZ and related cases for over $1 billion dollars. Many more cases are pending.

But litigation takes a long time and consumes funds while the case is in progress. This where Nationwide Litigation Funding Inc comes in. Nationwide Litigation Funding provides non-recourse funding to help pay for attorneys' fees, medical bills and ongoing living expenses while attorneys prepare to bring the case to trial. Non-recourse funding is not a loan and does not have to paid back in the event the case is not settled in favor of the plaintiff/s. And Nationwide Litigation Funding's funding sources are private investors and not public institutions like banks or hedge funds, so personal details of the case do not have to be publicly revealed. Since non-recourse funding is not a loan, there are no credit checks or employment verification required, and you don't have to make monthly payments.

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