Tepezza Lawsuit: Frequently Asked Questions
About the Litigation
What is the Tepezza lawsuit about?
Lawsuits allege that Horizon Therapeutics failed to warn patients and physicians that Tepezza infusions could cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Tepezza's original label reported hearing-related side effects in about 10% of patients and described them as generally temporary. Independent research later found rates as high as 65%, with a substantial share of patients not fully recovering. Court filings allege Horizon held internal data showing rates up to 40% as early as March 2020 — but the FDA-approved warning about permanent hearing loss did not appear until July 2023.
Is the Tepezza lawsuit a class action?
No. It's a multidistrict litigation (MDL 3079). In a class action, everyone is represented collectively and typically shares a formula-based recovery. In an MDL, each plaintiff keeps an individual lawsuit valued on their own injuries; only the pretrial phase is coordinated before one judge. This matters here, because hearing injuries in this litigation range from intermittent tinnitus to profound deafness.
Where is the Tepezza litigation pending?
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin, with Chief Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman managing discovery and settlement conferences. The JPML consolidated the cases there on June 2, 2023, over Horizon's objection.
How many Tepezza lawsuits have been filed?
As of July 2026, 277 cases are pending in the MDL. This is a comparatively small mass tort — which many attorneys believe works in claimants' favor, since a settlement fund is divided among fewer people and is more affordable for the defendant to fund.
Who is the defendant — Horizon or Amgen?
Horizon Therapeutics developed and marketed Tepezza. Amgen acquired Horizon for $27.8 billion in October 2023 and assumed the litigation. Any settlement would be backed by one of the world's largest biotechnology companies.
Settlement Status
Has there been a Tepezza settlement?
No settlement has been reached or announced. What has happened: the court ordered the parties into quarterly settlement negotiations beginning August 2024, and on October 1, 2025 struck every deadline in the bellwether trial program following a private conference with counsel — without dismissing any claims. Trial deadlines remain suspended. Many observers read this as a signal that a global resolution is being negotiated, but that is interpretation, not fact.
Why were the trials canceled?
The court didn't explain publicly. Bellwether trials are enormously expensive to prepare, and courts generally don't clear that calendar without reason. Because the deadlines were struck with all claims intact — no dismissals, no exclusions, no judgment for the defense — the standard reading among mass tort practitioners is that settlement discussions had progressed far enough that continued trial preparation would be wasted money.
How much is a Tepezza case worth?
No one can tell you today. No settlement matrix exists and no case has been tried. Value will depend on the severity and permanence of your hearing loss, your audiological documentation, your age, your occupation, when you were treated, and your documented medical and economic damages. Be skeptical of any attorney who quotes you a specific number right now.
When would settlement money actually arrive?
If a global settlement is announced, distribution typically takes 6 to 18 months: the framework is finalized, a claims matrix established, a participation threshold met, claims submitted and scored, and Medicare/Medicaid/insurer liens resolved before checks issue. Claims already filed when a settlement is announced move through that pipeline first.
Eligibility
Do I qualify?
Generally, if you (1) received one or more Tepezza infusions for thyroid eye disease and (2) were diagnosed with hearing loss, tinnitus, or another hearing injury during or after treatment, you may have a claim.
Do I need to have completed all eight infusions?
No. Cases have been filed by plaintiffs who received three. In the published research, symptoms typically appeared after an average of roughly 3.6 infusions.
What if my hearing loss is only in one ear?
Unilateral hearing loss is documented in this litigation and doesn't disqualify you. It affects valuation, not eligibility.
What if my only symptom is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a qualifying injury and is specifically named across the complaints in this MDL. Constant, disabling tinnitus can be a significant claim.
I never had a hearing test before Tepezza. Does that ruin my case?
No — and most patients didn't have one, because until July 2023 the label never told doctors to order one. That failure is part of what the litigation is about. Post-treatment audiometry plus your own account of what changed is workable. Get tested if you haven't; it helps your health and your claim.
I already had some hearing loss before Tepezza. Can I still file?
Possibly. Pre-existing hearing loss doesn't automatically disqualify you. What matters is whether your hearing measurably worsened or new symptoms — tinnitus, autophony, ear fullness — appeared after treatment.
What if I was treated after the July 2023 label change?
You may still have a claim. Lawsuits have been filed by patients whose treatment began right around that transition. These cases turn on what your prescriber actually knew and communicated, whether hearing monitoring was ordered, and whether your consent was informed. Don't rule yourself out based on a date.
I was treated in Michigan. Does that matter?
Michigan had a statute — since repealed, but not retroactively — barring product liability claims involving FDA-approved drugs, and Horizon used it in 2024 to remove one bellwether case. Michigan claims require individualized analysis. Call us rather than assuming.
My family member received Tepezza and has since passed away. Can I file?
Depending on your state's law and your relationship, a surviving spouse, child, or estate representative may be able to pursue a claim. Wrongful death and survival statutes vary significantly by state and often have shorter deadlines. Contact us promptly.
Deadlines
Is it too late to file?
Possibly not, but two separate clocks are running.
Statute of limitations. Each state sets a deadline for product liability claims — commonly one to four years — generally starting when you knew or reasonably should have known your injury was linked to Tepezza. That trigger date is fact-specific and frequently disputed. Don't estimate it yourself.
Practical settlement deadline. Global settlements are built around the claims that exist when the framework is negotiated. Once eligibility criteria and registration deadlines are set, people who hadn't filed frequently find themselves outside the window. With trial deadlines suspended and negotiations active, this is the more immediate risk.
What if I'm not sure when my hearing loss started?
That's common and it's not a barrier. Your medical and audiology records usually establish the timeline better than memory does. Part of a case review is reconstructing that history.
Cost and Process
What does it cost to hire a Tepezza lawyer?
Nothing out of pocket. Baker Legal Team handles Tepezza cases on a contingency fee — no hourly bills, no upfront costs, no fee unless you recover.
What happens on the first call?
About 15 minutes. We'll ask when you were diagnosed with TED, when and where you received infusions, how many, what hearing symptoms developed and when, whether you've seen an audiologist, and whether you use hearing aids. Free, no obligation.
What do I need to gather?
Helpful but not required: approximate first and last infusion dates, number of infusions, the infusion center or practice name, the prescribing physician's name, when symptoms began, and any hearing test results. If you don't have these, call anyway — we obtain records ourselves.
Will I have to go to court or travel to Illinois?
Almost certainly not. MDL proceedings are handled by counsel and most claimants never appear in court. If your case were selected as a bellwether — statistically very unlikely — your attorney would guide you through it.
How long will my case take?
If a global settlement is reached, filed claims typically see distribution 6 to 18 months after announcement, following claims administration and lien resolution. If negotiations fail, the bellwether program could be reinstated or cases remanded to home districts for individual trials, which extends the timeline substantially.
Should I stop taking Tepezza?
Talk to your doctor. Your health comes before any lawsuit. That said, be aware that in prior pharmaceutical litigations, continued use after a warning was added has sometimes reduced claim valuations. That is information for your discussion with your physician, not a reason to change treatment on your own.
Can I file if I already spoke to another firm?
Yes, if you haven't signed a representation agreement. If you have signed with another firm, you generally have the right to change counsel — call and we'll explain how that works in your situation.
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