Sterile Saline Solution Infection Lawsuit Set for Trial Over Nurse Assist Recall

Judge has ordered the parties to make at least two attempts to reach a sterile saline solution settlement over the next six months, or the case will be prepared for trial on February 2, 2027.

A Tennessee woman’s claims that she suffered a serious infection after using what was supposed to be a sterile saline solution on her wounds, will go before a jury in early 2027, according to a federal judge’s ruling.

Jennifer Wilson filed the sterile saline solution infection lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in April 2025, indicating that she developed a Vibrio vulnificus infection after using Nurse Assist saline solution to treat lymphedema wounds on her legs. A proper diagnosis took months, leading to the need for emergency room visits due to the severity of the infection, according to Wilson’s claims.

Her complaint followed a Nurse Assist recall issued in November 2023, which affected numerous different sterile water and saline products. In its recall announcement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that faulty packaging seals may break and compromise sterility, urging healthcare providers and consumers to stop using and distributing the affected products.

After the recall, several other individuals filed similar sterile water and saline recall lawsuits, alleging they also developed severe, and in some cases life-threatening, infections after using the contaminated solutions for wound care and other medical treatments in clinical and home settings.

In a court order (PDF) issued late last month, Chief U.S. District Judge William Campbell, Jr. announced a trial over Wilson’s claims will begin on February 2, 2027, setting a pretrial conference for January 25, 2027.

Judge Campbell’s order also included key deadlines for the parties to meet to ensure the case is trial-ready by that time, including the parties exchanging copies of exhibits by January 11, 2027, and filing a proposed joint pretrial order, along with proposed jury instructions, by January 18, 2027.

Following the first status conference on July 28, Magistrate Judge Barbara D. Holmes filed an initial case management order (PDF) summarizing the current status of the litigation, but also calling for the parties to be prepared to prove to the court that they tried, but failed, to reach a settlement agreement before the trial begins.

“The parties are encouraged to make settlement efforts throughout the pendency of this case and must make a minimum of two independent, substantive attempts at resolution. By no later than February 27, 2026.”

  –- U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara D. Holmes

If the first attempts do not end in a settlement, the magistrate ordered the parties to show that they held a second involving mediation by July 10, 2026.

August 2025 Sterile Water and Saline Recall Lawsuits

According to FDA reports, multiple consumers suffered adverse events and infections like Wilson’s. Given the manufacturer’s failure to ensure product sterility, sterile saline solution infection lawsuits are now being pursued nationwide against Nurse Assist and other distributors of the contaminated products.

Individuals who used the recalled Nurse Assist sterile water products and developed infections may be eligible for financial compensation. Lawyers are investigating claims from patients who suffered from:

• Sepsis or septic shock
• Bloodstream infections
• Respiratory infections
• Organ failure
• Necrosis or severe wound infections
• Extended hospitalizations and additional surgeries

As the litigation progresses, more individuals are expected to step forward with similar claims against Nurse Assist and other entities responsible for distributing the recalled sterile water.