Ozempic Lawsuit in 2026: Who Qualifies and What the Claims Are About

As of October 2026, there are two main groups of Ozempic lawsuits in U.S. federal court. The larger one, with more than 4,000 cases, claims that Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs caused severe stomach problems such as gastroparesis, ileus and intestinal blockage without adequate warning. A newer group, with nearly 250 active cases, claims semaglutide caused NAION, a type of sudden vision loss. No case has gone to trial and there's no settlement. Nothing has been proven in court.

This page explains what the lawsuits claim, where they stand, who generally qualifies, and what to do if you're worried about your own symptoms. It's general information, not legal advice.

New Jersey state courts also approved separate mass litigation for both injury types in late 2025, so some cases are moving there instead.

The core argument is failure to warn: plaintiffs say Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly knew or should have known that their drugs could cause severe, lasting stomach paralysis and bowel blockages, and didn't warn patients and doctors clearly enough. The companies dispute this, pointing out that their labels already warn about serious stomach side effects.

A key 2025 ruling shaped who can stay in the case: the court required plaintiffs claiming gastroparesis to have a formal diagnosis, typically a gastric emptying study, rather than symptoms alone. That's why law firms now ask for test results before taking a case.

These cases claim semaglutide caused NAION, sudden painless vision loss in one eye caused by reduced blood flow to the optic nerve. In 2025 European regulators concluded NAION is a very rare side effect of semaglutide, affecting up to about 1 in 10,000 people, and UK regulators issued similar guidance in 2026. Courts haven't decided whether the companies are legally liable, and the U.S. cases are still at an early stage.

Each law firm sets its own criteria, and only a lawyer can assess a specific case. Commonly cited requirements include:

Deadlines matter. Each state has a statute of limitations, sometimes as short as one to two years, and the clock may start when you first knew or should have known about the injury.

Ozempic's prescribing information warns about serious stomach side effects, says it isn't recommended for people with severe gastrointestinal disease, lists ileus among reports after approval, and notes a risk of food remaining in the stomach during anesthesia. Whether those warnings were adequate, and when they were added, is the heart of the legal fight. Separately, FDA sent Novo Nordisk a warning letter in March 2026 about how it reports side effects; that letter isn't a finding about the lawsuits.

Your health comes before any legal question. Get medical care right away for severe or ongoing vomiting, inability to keep food or fluids down, severe stomach pain, a swollen belly with no bowel movements, or sudden vision loss in one eye. Tell the doctor you take a GLP-1 drug.

Most people on Ozempic never have these problems. Nausea and constipation early on are common and usually improve. Our Is Ozempic Safe? guide explains which symptoms are expected and which aren't.

Ozempic lawsuit ads are everywhere, and some overstate what's happened. As of October 2026 there are no settlements or payouts, so any ad promising a specific amount is guessing. Be cautious about giving medical records or personal details to websites that aren't clearly law firms, and never pay upfront fees; legitimate firms in these cases generally work on contingency.

The Ozempic lawsuits are real and growing, but they're unresolved: about 4,000 stomach injury cases and roughly 250 vision loss cases, no trials, no settlements and no court finding of fault. If you have serious symptoms, get medical care first and a clear diagnosis second. If you're considering a claim, talk to a licensed attorney soon, because deadlines vary by state. We'll update this page as the cases move; see our Ozempic news page for the latest.