North Carolina Product Liability Lawyer Blog

Clay Hodges Starts His Own Firm: Hodges Law, PLLC

Published on: March 9, 2026 | By Clay Hodges

After more than twenty-one years at Harris Sarratt & Hodges, LLP, I made the move to start my own law firm: Hodges Law, PLLC. I had a great run at HSH, and I learned so much about practicing law from my law partners and from staff, but it was time for this new challenge. I will continue to represent clients in cases involving civil litigation, product liability, and personal injury. I still handle defective medical devices and harmful medications. I would be happy to talk with you about a possible case.

I will operate from the same office in Raleigh, North Carolina, though please note the change in my email address (chodges@clayhodgeslaw.com) and phone number (919.830.5602).

My new JUSTIA website (www.clayhodgeslaw.com) should launch in the next few weeks, so look out for it. Thank you!

The US Supreme Court to Hear Important Roundup Case

Published on: January 19, 2026 | By Clay Hodges

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could fundamentally reshape one of the largest mass-tort litigations in American history: the lawsuits alleging that Roundup, the widely used weed-killer, causes cancer.

Roundup has been on the market since the 1970s and became a staple of modern agriculture and home gardening. Its active ingredient, glyphosate, has also been the subject of decades of scientific debate. While some laboratory animal studies and limited human data have suggested a link between glyphosate exposure and certain cancers—most notably non-Hodgkin lymphoma—regulators, including the Environmental Protection Agency, have consistently concluded that the product is safe when used as directed.

That regulatory backdrop sits at the heart of the legal question now before the Court. Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018 and inherited its litigation exposure, argues that federal pesticide law preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims. In plain terms, Bayer’s position is that because the EPA controls pesticide labeling nationwide and has approved Roundup’s label, the company should not be subject to liability under state law for failing to include warnings that federal regulators have declined to require.

Former Client Reviews the Work of Attorney Clay Hodges

Published on: November 17, 2025 | By Clay Hodges

A former client was kind enough to write a summary of my handling of his defective hip case. I am grateful to this client for taking the time to write, and I have reproduced it below:

My experience with Attorney Clay Hodges: background, our interaction, case outcome and my assessment

Background

Dupixent Potentially Linked to Cancer: What You Need To Know

Published on: October 27, 2025 | By Clay Hodges

In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved dupilumab (which goes by the brand name Dupixent) as a treatment for atopic dermatitis (commonly known as eczema). However, recent research has identified a possible link between Dupixent and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a type of cancer. If you have taken (or are taking) Dupixent, you should be aware of this potential link and discuss the risks with your doctor.

An Overview of Dupixent

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi worked together to develop Dupixent. Dupixent is a monoclonal antibody, which means it’s a biologic, or medicine made from living organisms or parts of living organisms. It’s administered as an injection and is often used to treat moderate to severe cases of eczema where more topical treatments have been unsuccessful or aren’t possible. Dupixent is also used to treat:

An Overview of Cartiva Toe Implant Recall and Litigation

Published on: September 5, 2025 | By Clay Hodges

Modern science never ceases to amaze, especially with improvements on existing technology. Physicist Michio Kaku illustrates this point very well: in 2011, your cellular telephone had more computing power than the entirety of NASA when it landed men on the moon in 1969. And that annoying little birthday card you get that plays music? The chip inside that card has more computing power than all of the Allied Forces in World War 2. What countries would have gone to war over in 1945 or 1969, we simply throw away, donate to a thrift store or try to sell for 50 cents at a yard sale.

As impressive as this all sounds, we still struggle to mimic what Mother Nature does so easily: the biomechanics of the human body. For example, in 2016, Cartiva, Inc. developed a synthetic cartilage implant (SCI) designed to address pain and reduced range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (often caused by arthritis). This is the joint where your big toe connects to the rest of your foot.

Unfortunately, the Cartiva SCI failed to meet expectations, which I wrote about last summer. Since publishing that blog post, there have been a few notable developments, including a medical device recall and a number of lawsuits getting close to trial.

Are Stone Countertops Containing Granite and Quartz Causing Silicosis?

Published on: April 8, 2025 | By Clay Hodges

The health risks associated with working around dust from mines and rock quarries have been known for millennia. Recently, attempts have been made to reduce the prevalence of lung problems, such as silicosis, associated with exposure to silica dust. For example, in 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established respirable crystalline silica standards (regulations) for workers in the construction and general/maritime industries. Despite these rules, many workers still suffer from significant and often life-threatening lung problems due to silica dust. Many of these workers come from the granite or quartz countertops industry, especially those made from engineered stone. Let’s examine the connection between engineered stone and silicosis, and what legal remedies may be available.

What Is Silica?

Silica is another name for silicon dioxide and is made up of the elements of silicon and oxygen. Silica is commonly found in nature, especially in minerals such as quartz and rocks such as granite (which contains quartz).

Are Ozempic Users at an Increased Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

Published on: February 5, 2025 | By Clay Hodges

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) that works by mimicking a hormone that the body uses to signal that it’s full or satisfied. It was originally approved for treating type 2 diabetes (under the Ozempic brand name), but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration soon approved it to help patients lose weight (under the Wegovy brand name).

Ozempic and Wegovy have received considerable attention for various reasons, including their side effects. I’ve discussed some of these in earlier blog posts about gastroparesis and vision problems, like NAION. Unfortunately, additional serious side effects continue to be brought up, including complications from blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Let’s take a closer look at semaglutide and its connection to DVT.

What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?

Potential Link Between Depo-Provera Birth Control Shot and Brain Tumors

Published on: December 2, 2024 | By Clay Hodges

Hormonal contraception injections for women have been around for decades. Unfortunately, recent studies have found a potential link between medroxyprogesterone acetate, a common type of hormonal contraception taken through injection, and intracranial meningioma, a type of brain tumor. Many women who have used this form of birth control for extended periods have also suffered from intracranial meningioma. The goal of this blog post is to examine the potential association between medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) and brain tumors and the current status of litigation alleging this connection.

What Is Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA)?

MPA is the technical name for an injectable form of hormonal contraception for women. If you or your partner used contraception, you might not have ever heard of medroxyprogesterone acetate or MPA, but you probably heard of the brand name, Depo-Provera.

FDA Issues Warning: Increased Risk of Thigh Bone Fractures With Zimmer Biomet CPT Hip System Femoral Stem

Published on: October 1, 2024 | By Clay Hodges

Artificial hips offer a new lease on life to many thousands of people each year. They provide recipients the opportunity for independent living and mobility they might not otherwise have. Unfortunately, they also come with risks, one of the most prominent being metallosis. But there’s also another potential risk where the femur (thigh bone) could break.

The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the body. Yet the process of implanting an artificial hip, along with the older age of most patients who receive artificial hips, means there’s a greater risk of a thigh bone fracture. If this happens, artificial hip revision surgery may be needed.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a safety communication alerting patients with the Zimmer Biomet CPT Hip System Femoral Stem 12/14 Neck Taper of an increased risk of thigh bone fracture. Let’s take a look at this safety communication and what you should do if you received this implant.

New Study Links Ozempic to Vision Problems

Published on: August 19, 2024 | By Clay Hodges

Many people have gotten off insulin and/or lost significant weight thanks to Ozempic. This is the brand name of a drug with semaglutide as the active ingredient and has been prescribed to many patients struggling with diabetes. Semaglutide is also the active ingredient in Wegovy. This is the brand name for a similar medication that’s essentially a higher-dose version of Ozempic and is intended primarily for individuals looking to lose weight.

However, like most other prescription medications, Ozempic and Wegovy have their fair share of side effects and issues. One of the most publicized and unpleasant is gastroparesis, which has led to some legal action that I wrote about last year. Then in July 2024, a study published by JAMA Ophthalmology indicated a possible link between semaglutide and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic nerve neuropathy. Let’s take a closer look at this study and what it could mean if you or someone you know is taking Ozempic or Wegovy.

What Is Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy?

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★★★★★

I was involved in a case for the faulty hip replacements. Clay Hodges represented me. I can't say enough about how much he has helped me. Clay was able to win multiple settlements on my behalf with most of them being the maximum amount able to be awarded. Matt J.

Clay, thank you sir for making a disheartening experience at least palatable, you and your staff were honest, caring and understanding through the entire process of my wife’s hip replacements, while monetary settlements never make the pain and suffering end, it sometimes is the only way people can fight back to right a wrong. J. V.

We are absolutely pleased with how Clay Hodges handled my husband’s hip replacement claim. He always kept us informed of the progress. And, his work resulted in a settlement which we are extremely pleased. Thank you, Clay! Carol L. & Norm L.