Janet Snyder v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.

I. Background1

The parties dispute whether the plaintiff Janet Snyder (“Snyder”) fraudulently joined a non-diverse defendant in this products liability lawsuit in order to avoid federal jurisdiction. For the reasons discussed below, the Court finds that the non-diverse defendant was not fraudulently joined and therefore GRANTS the Snyder’s motion to remand. A. Factual Background In 2014, Snyder had a intrauterine device, i.e. the ParaGard T380A Intrauterine Copper Contraceptive (“ParaGard”), implanted. See Compl. ¶¶ 54-55. In August 2018, Snyder’s physician tried to remove the ParaGard, but a part of the ParaGard broke while still inside Snyder’s body. The physician was unable to remove the part, and so a month later Snyder underwent surgery to remove it. Id. ¶¶ 57-58. Snyder brought this products liability lawsuit alleging that the ParaGard devices were defective because they broke too easily when removed. She filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against the following defendants: (1) Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.; (2) Teva Women’s Health, LLC; (3) Teva Women’s Health, Inc.; (4) The Cooper Companies, Inc. (“CooperCo”); and (5)…