About Us

Blake Vanderhyde, Founder of Vanderhyde Law

For more than 25 years, Blake Vanderhyde has represented people harmed by powerful corporations, with a practice centered on pharmaceutical and medical device injury. He founded Vanderhyde Law to take on cases that most individuals could never pursue alone: claims against multinational drug makers, device manufacturers, and corporate defendants with vast legal resources.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Saint Cloud State University, Blake earned his law degree from the William Mitchell College of Law, where he served on the Law Review. He is admitted to practice in both State and Federal Court, and his work has been recognized by Super Lawyers and by Minnesota Law and Politics Who's Who. His professional affiliations include the American Association for Justice, the Minnesota Association for Justice, the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Hennepin County Bar Association, the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity International, and the American Inns of Court, Douglas K. Amdahl Inn of Minnesota.

Beyond the courtroom, Blake served as President of the Saint Cloud, Minnesota chapter of Best Buddies International, the world's largest organization devoted to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The chapter pairs college students in friendships with children who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Vanderhyde Law partners with clients and co-counsels with firms across the country. Over the years, Vanderhyde Law has helped thousands of individuals and families seek justice against some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. Representative matters include the following multidistrict litigations and tort actions.

Mass Tort and Multidistrict Litigation Experience

Pharmaceutical Litigation

IN RE: Actos (Pioglitazone) Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2299, United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana

Claims arising from the use of Actos, a prescription medication approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Plaintiffs alleged that individuals who used Actos faced an increased risk of developing bladder cancer, and that the defendants concealed their knowledge of this risk and failed to provide adequate warnings. Defendants denied all allegations of fault.

IN RE: Avandia Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 1871, United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Claims against SmithKline Beecham Corporation, doing business as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), arising from allegations that the diabetes drugs Avandia, Avandamet, and Avandaryl caused an increased risk of heart attack and other physical injury, and that GSK failed to provide adequate warnings. GSK denied the allegations.

IN RE: Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2592, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana

Claims arising from the use of Xarelto, a prescription anticoagulant. Plaintiffs alleged that the drug caused severe and uncontrollable bleeding events, that no effective reversal agent was available at the time, and that the defendants failed to provide adequate warnings. Defendants included Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Bayer. Defendants denied the allegations.

IN RE: Proton-Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2789, United States District Court, District of New Jersey

Claims arising from the use of proton pump inhibitors, a class of medications used to reduce stomach acid, sold under names including Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, and Dexilant. Plaintiffs alleged that long-term use caused serious kidney injuries, including chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, and acute interstitial nephritis, and that the manufacturers failed to warn of these risks. Defendants denied the allegations.

IN RE: Abilify (Aripiprazole) Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2734, United States District Court, Northern District of Florida

Claims arising from the use of Abilify, a prescription antipsychotic medication. Plaintiffs alleged that the drug caused compulsive behaviors, including compulsive gambling, shopping, eating, and hypersexuality, and that the defendants failed to warn of these risks. Defendants included Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical. Defendants denied the allegations.

Risperdal (Risperidone) Litigation

Coordinated mass tort proceeding 

Claims arising from the use of Risperdal, a prescription antipsychotic. Plaintiffs, primarily adolescent and young male patients, alleged that the drug caused gynecomastia, the development of breast tissue, and that the manufacturer failed to warn of the risk. Defendant Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, denied the allegations.

IN RE: Gadolinium Contrast Dyes Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 1909, United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio

Claims that plaintiffs suffered substantial injuries caused by gadolinium-based contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging procedures, manufactured, marketed, or sold by the defendants.

Medical Device Litigation

IN RE: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., ASR Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2197, United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio

Claims as to whether DePuy's ASR XL Acetabular Hip System, a device used in hip replacement surgery, was defectively designed or manufactured, and whether DePuy failed to provide adequate warnings. DePuy recalled the ASR XL and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System in August 2010.

IN RE: Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 13-2441, United States District Court, District of Minnesota

Federal cases alleging that the dual modular hip replacement prostheses sold as Rejuvenate and ABG II were defective and caused injury to plaintiffs. Defendants included Howmedica Osteonics Corp., doing business as Stryker Orthopaedics, Stryker Corporation, and Stryker Sales Corporation.

IN RE: Zimmer Durom Hip Cup Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2158, United States District Court, District of New Jersey

Claims alleging that the Zimmer Durom Acetabular Component, a hip replacement device, was defectively designed and prone to early failure, and that the manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings.

IN RE: Biomet M2a Magnum Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2391, United States District Court, Northern District of Indiana

Claims focused on the metal-on-metal design of the M2a Magnum system and its alleged propensity to generate high levels of metal ions, cause metallosis in surrounding tissue, and fail early.

IN RE: Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Conserve Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2329, United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia; and MDL No. 4710, United States District Court, Northern District of California, Los Angeles Division

Claims alleging that Wright Medical's metal-on-metal hip implant systems were defectively designed and prone to early failure and metallosis, and that the manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings.

Transvaginal and Pelvic Mesh Litigation

One of the largest mass tort proceedings in history. Claims were brought for injuries including erosion through the vaginal wall or soft tissue, organ perforation, urinary tract infections, nerve damage, chronic pelvic or abdominal pain, pelvic organ prolapse, and stress urinary incontinence. Coordinated against multiple manufacturers, including:

Ethicon, Inc., MDL No. 2327, Southern District of West Virginia

C.R. Bard, Inc., MDL No. 2187, Southern District of West Virginia

Boston Scientific Corp., MDL No. 2326, Southern District of West Virginia

American Medical Systems, Inc., MDL No. 2325, Southern District of West Virginia

Coloplast Corp., MDL No. 2387, Southern District of Ohio

IN RE: Davol, Inc. / C.R. Bard, Inc., Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2846, United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Claims alleging that polypropylene hernia mesh products were defectively designed and caused injury, and that the manufacturers failed to provide adequate warnings.

Hernia Mesh (Covidien) Litigation

Hernia mesh actions against Covidien handled on an individual basis, not consolidated under an MDL. Devices named included Covidien's Parietex Composite Mesh, Parietex ProGrip Mesh, and Parietex Surgical Mesh.

IN RE: Power Morcellator Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2652, United States District Court, District of Kansas

Claims by women who underwent hysterectomies and fibroid removals using power morcellator devices, alleging that the devices spread undetected uterine cancer. Defendants included Johnson & Johnson, Johnson & Johnson Services, Ethicon, Inc., and Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System Litigation

 (consolidation declined; cases handled individually)

Claims by plaintiffs alleging injuries from Da Vinci surgical robots. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation declined to consolidate the suits, and cases proceeded on an individual basis.

Shoulder Pain Pump Litigation

Claims that pain pump devices delivering anesthetic directly to the shoulder joint through a catheter caused damage to shoulder cartilage, a condition known as post-arthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis (PAGCL).

Essure Birth Control Device Litigation

Coordinated proceeding 

Claims arising from the use of Essure, a permanently implanted contraceptive device. Plaintiffs alleged device migration, organ perforation, chronic pain, autoimmune reactions, and unintended pregnancy, and that the manufacturer failed to warn of these risks. Defendant Bayer denied the allegations.

IN RE: 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2885, United States District Court, Northern District of Florida

One of the largest mass tort proceedings in United States history by claim volume. Plaintiffs, many of them military servicemembers and veterans, alleged that 3M's dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs were defectively designed and failed to provide the represented level of hearing protection, resulting in hearing loss and tinnitus. Defendants included 3M Company and Aearo Technologies. Defendants denied the allegations.

Environmental, Consumer, and Other Litigation

IN RE: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010

MDL No. 2179, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig began leaking crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. By the time the leak was stopped, hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil had been released, and oil had washed onto the shores of at least four Gulf states, making it one of the largest spills in United States history. Defendants included British Petroleum, Transocean, and Halliburton. Plaintiffs' claims focused on lost business profits and income, environmental and property damage, health problems from oil and chemical dispersants, cleanup-related injuries, and injury claims by rig workers and their families.

IN RE: Roundup (Glyphosate) Products Liability Litigation

MDL No. 2741, United States District Court, Northern District of California

Claims arising from exposure to Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide. Plaintiffs alleged that exposure to glyphosate caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the manufacturer failed to warn consumers of the risk. Defendant Monsanto, later acquired by Bayer, denied the allegations.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Lung Cancer Litigation

Individual and wrongful death cases stemming from mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer, brought against numerous manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos-containing products, including A.W. Chesteron Company, Crane Co, H.B. Fuller Company, Union Carbide Corporation, individually and f/k/a Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Company, Certainteed Corporation, Uniroyal Inc., Crown, Cork and Seal, USA, Inc. John Crane, Inc. f/k/a Crane Packing Company, Georgia Pacific LLC f/k/a Georgia-Pacific Corp, DAP, Inc., Ingersoll-Rand Company, Goulds Pumps Inc., Sterling Fluid Systems (USA) LLC, individually, and as successor in interest to Indian head, Inc, Gardner Denver, Inc., Joy Technologies, Inc., IMO Industries, Inc., ITT Industries, Inc. Individually, and as Successor in Interest to Bell & Gossett Pump Co, Aurora Pump Company, FMC, Individually, and as Successor in Interest to Chicago Pump Company, Nagle Pumps, Inc. Armstrong international, Inc. Spirax Sarco, Inc., General Electric Company, CBS Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation, f/k/a Westinghouse Electric Corporation, FLOWSERVE US, Inc. a.k.a. Flowserve Pump Corp Individually, and as Successor in Interest to Edward Valve and Manufacturing Company, Anderson, Greenwood & CO, Grinnell Corporation f/k/a Grinnell Fire Protection Systems, Inc., Grinnell LLC, Mueller Company, LLC d/b/a Mueller Flow, LLC, Mueller Company, Henry Pratt Company, Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation, Riley Power, Inc. f/k/a Riley Stoker Corporation, A.O. Smith Corporation, Trance U.S. Inc., Oakfabco, Inc., Carrier Corporation, and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co

Vape Pen and E-Cigarette Battery Explosion Cases

Claims arising from the failure of lithium-ion batteries in electronic cigarette and vape pen devices. Plaintiffs alleged that the batteries overheated and exploded during use or while charging, causing burns and other serious injuries. Cases were handled against various manufacturers, distributors, and retailers on an individual basis.