Gabapentin Lawsuit: Dementia Claims, Eligibility and How to File

As of October 2026, gabapentin dementia lawsuits are being treated as individual cases that will be filed in state courts across the country. There is no class action for these injuries, and no cases have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). If the number of cases grows, this may change.

So far, there haven’t been any jury trials or publicly announced settlements. Lawyers are still investigating claims and accepting cases.

Gabapentin lawsuits claim long-term use of the medication may contribute to a person’s dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis, especially when prescribed medications that are off-label are for uses not approved by the FDA.

For example, the FDA-approved uses for gabapentin are nerve pain following shingles and as an add-on medication for epileptic seizures. However, it’s often prescribed off-label for chronic pain and psychiatric conditions. In fact, some experts say less than 1% of outpatient gabapentin prescriptions are for FDA-approved uses.

A 2025 Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine study on people who took gabapentin off-label for chronic low back pain found a link between long-term use and an increased risk for dementia and MCI diagnosis. Among patients with chronic low back pain, those with six or more prescriptions had a 29% higher incidence of dementia and an 85% higher incidence of mild cognitive impairment than people who didn’t.

Lawsuits also claim that Pfizer failed to properly warn doctors and patients of the increased risk of dementia and MCI.

Off-Label Marketing Settlements

Neurontin’s makers, Warner-Lambert and Pfizer, previously faced claims and criminal charges for their marketing practices. In 2004, Warner-Lambert pleaded guilty to illegally promoting and marketing the brand-name gabapentin drug and Neurontin for unapproved uses. These uses included various pain disorders and psychiatric disorders.

The company paid more than $430 million to resolve the charges, unrelated to new dementia lawsuit claims.

According to insurers and other healthcare benefit providers, Pfizer continued promoting Neurontin for off-label uses after it purchased Warner-Lambert in 2000. In 2014, Pfizer agreed to pay $325 million to settle these claims.

If you or a loved one took gabapentin and received a diagnosis of dementia, mild cognitive impairment or memory loss, you may qualify for a gabapentin lawsuit. Each law firm has specific criteria for the cases it will accept.

Requirements center on certain prescription history, qualifying diagnoses and off-label prescriptions.

These are the general requirements, and only a lawyer can tell you if you qualify to file a gabapentin lawsuit. Even if you don’t think you qualify, you should contact a lawyer for a free case review to learn your legal options.

The first thing you should do when filing a gabapentin lawsuit is contact a lawyer.

A lawyer can make sure they file your lawsuit in the correct court against the proper defendants, gather the evidence needed to prove your dementia or cognitive impairment claim and negotiate a settlement or take your case to court.

Many law firms offer free consultations and only require payment if they win your case. When you complete a free case review on Drugwatch, a qualified legal team will review your case and connect you with the legal resources you need to file a claim.

Evidence You’ll Need

You should gather prescription or pharmacy records, the clinician’s notes on why gabapentin was prescribed and records documenting the dementia and cognitive diagnosis.

A timeline of symptoms, referrals, testing and other medications can help a lawyer determine which additional records are needed.

If the patient cannot manage the process, a family member can assist in gathering evidence. The lawyer you’ve hired can help explain the process. They can tell you what’s needed to request records or act on the patient’s behalf. You should keep copies of correspondence and write down approximate dates while they are still available.

Statute of Limitations Considerations

There may be a deadline to file your gabapentin claim, called a statute of limitations. Each state has laws that set the deadline for filing a claim. Most statutes of limitation fall between two and four years, but each case is different.

A dementia diagnosis may affect the time limit. You should contact a lawyer sooner rather than later to find out the exact deadline for your claim. Once the time limit runs out, you may be barred from filing a claim.

Working With a Gabapentin Lawyer

If you choose to work with a gabapentin lawyer, the consultation is typically free. Most lawyers will work on a contingency fee basis, which means the lawyer doesn’t get paid unless they win a jury verdict or settlement for you. Make sure you ask the lawyer what their fees are before hiring them.

Drugwatch can help you take the first steps by evaluating your case for free. Complete a complimentary case review to see if you qualify.

There haven’t been any publicly announced gabapentin dementia or cognitive impairment settlements, so it’s impossible to estimate how much a gabapentin lawsuit could be worth.

So far, any settlement news has concerned off-label marketing charges for Neurontin. These happened years ago and aren’t related to current individual personal injury claims.

Settlement values for dementia claims, like other personal injury claims, are typically affected by the severity of the cognitive impairment, the types of injuries, the amount of damages and any punitive damages awarded at trial, if applicable.

A lawyer can explain the potential categories of damages and what your case could be worth depending on the facts of your claim.