Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas — Mass Tort Program
1301 Filbert St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Court websitePennsylvania · Zantac claim: what to ask and what to do
Zantac claim: what to ask and what to do in Pennsylvania
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| Filing deadline | 2 years from date of cancer diagnosis discovery (Frye-based expert standard)42 Pa. C.S. § 5524 |
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Deadlines vary with the facts of each case. A lawyer can confirm yours.
Updated
01 · Your filing deadline
What is the deadline in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims (42 Pa. C.S. § 5524). The discovery rule applies in latent pharmaceutical injury cases. Pennsylvania courts apply a modified Frye/Pa.R.E. A lawyer can confirm yours.
2 years from date of cancer diagnosis discovery (Frye-based expert standard)
702 standard that has been interpreted in ways comparable to general acceptance testing, potentially more permissive than federal Daubert for novel scientific causation claims. Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas has extensive experience with pharmaceutical mass tort coordination.
Source: 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524
Deadlines vary; a lawyer can confirm yours. An older diagnosis or a past filing window does not, by itself, establish whether you have a claim.
02 · Where cases are heard
Where would my case be heard?
Pennsylvania imposes a 2-year statute of limitations for pharmaceutical injury claims with the discovery rule. Pennsylvania uses the Frye standard (or a Pa.R.E. 702 formulation) for expert testimony — similar to Delaware's general acceptance test — which may be more favorable than Daubert for Zantac causation experts. Pennsylvania has a sophisticated mass tort bar in Philadelphia, which is a recognized national venue for pharmaceutical litigation.
Statute of Limitations — PA (2 years): Pennsylvania's 2-year statute of limitations under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524 is governed by the discovery rule, which tolls the period until the plaintiff, exercising reasonable diligence, could have discovered the injury and its cause. The FDA's April 2020 nationwide recall of all ranitidine products is frequently cited as the constructive discovery date for plaintiffs who had not previously connected their diagnosis to Zantac use, though courts may look to earlier individualized facts. Plaintiffs with diagnosed cancers — particularly bladder, esophageal, stomach, colorectal, liver, pancreatic, breast, or lung — should consult counsel to preserve claims.
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
601 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Court websiteMedical facilities in Pennsylvania
Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
How this works nationally
For the overall process and updates, read the Zantac claim: what to ask and what to do overview. This page covers the local information available for Pennsylvania.
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- 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524