The litigation against Exactech is moving forward as a multidistrict litigation, also known as MDL. While an MDL is similar to a class action, the two are not the same.
In an MDL, each case is transferred to a single state or federal court. Out of all those cases — sometimes tens of thousands — the MDL court hears a few test cases, known as bellwether cases. The results of these bellwether cases help the parties anticipate how the remaining cases will resolve and reach a fair settlement.