Product Liability

May 18, 2016

Links between ovarian cancer and talcum powder

Talcum powder lawsuits The link between ovarian cancer and talcum powder was originally discovered in 1971 in a study that revealed talc particles in the ovarian tissue of cancer patients.

This was the first instance in which medical professionals realized women were at risk when using the powder on their genitals, sanitary pads, diaphragms, and in condoms. Talc particles easily made their way into the vagina and were able to travel deeper into the reproductive organs. One sample study demonstrated the ability of carbon particles to travel through the vagina and into the fallopian tubes in as little as 30 minutes, leading researchers to believe the same was possible with talc particles.

Despite the original findings and subsequent studies that have supported the original research, talc mining companies and Johnson & Johnson continue to argue against the connection citing insufficient evidence. The company has also managed to keep its product on the market without a warning for nearly half a century after the original discovery.

May 17, 2016

Talcum Powder lawsuits increase pressure on Johnson and Johnson

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Talcum powder lawsuits A new round of lawsuits filed in New Mexico against Johnson and Johnson’s talc products adds to the growing pressure on the company to settle lawsuits alleging their products caused ovarian cancer.

15 women from New Mexico joined more than 1,100 women suing Johnson and Johnson over their baby powder product. Earlier this year a Missouri jury found the company liable and awarded a women $10 million in compensatory damages and $62 million in punitive damages.”

The fifteen women from New Mexico argue that Johnson and Johnson should have warned consumers against using the talcum powder product on their genital areas. Despite numerous studies dating back forty years linking an increase risk of developing cancer and baby powder, Johnson and Johnson marketed some of their Talcum powders specifically for female genitals, according to the NM lawsuits.

May 16, 2016

Hip replacement complications trigger lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

When metal hips are used in hip replacement surgery, patients can suffer from implant failure, metallosis, bone death, dislocation, and other serious complications.

Many patients experience relief from pain caused by osteoarthritis and increased mobility. But, like other surgeries, hip replacement carries its own set of risks and complications that require immediate medical attention or even additional surgeries to treat. The type of implant may also increase the risk for certain complications. For example, studies show metal-on-metal implants have greater risk of loosening or early failure because metal particles released from the device may weaken nearby bone and tissue.

Popular brands of metal-on-metal hip implants include Smith & Nephew, Biomet M2a-Magnum, and DePuy ASR and Pinnacle.

May 13, 2016

Increased pressure for J&J to settle Baby Powder lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Talcum Powder lawsuits After a second jury in three months found Johnson & Johnson liable for ovarian cancer potentially caused by their talcum powder products, the company is under extreme pressure to settle its other claims.

In the latest case, a jury awarded Gloria Ristesund $55 million after she suffered from ovarian cancer potentially caused by Johnson and Johnson’s talcum products.

There are about 1,200 other lawsuits claiming a talc-ovarian cancer link filed against Johnson & Johnson.

May 12, 2016

AndroGel side effects trigger lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Men who suffer stroke, cardiac arrest and other heart-related issues or other adverse side effects after using AndroGel are beginning to file lawsuits, alleging they were not properly warned of the risks.

AndroGel is synthetic testosterone mixed into a gel with alcohol that is applied to the skin once daily. The testosterone is absorbed into the skin for continuous 24-hour delivery into the body. It is prescribe to men with low testosterone levels to increase their testosterone levels to a normal range.

Recent studies have linked AndroGel to some serious side effects, including cardiovascular problems like strokes and heart attacks. These studies reveal that using testosterone drugs may increase the risks of having a stroke or heart attack.

May 10, 2016

Abilify compulsive gambling lawsuit

by Dr. Shezad Malik

One of the most popular treatment for a variety of mental disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression, Abilify makes billions for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company and Bristol-Myers Squibb. With sales over $6.4 billion annually, it is one of the top-selling drugs in the U.S. Abilify works by either decreasing or increasing serotonin or dopamine in the brain when there is an imbalance.

Medical studies have linked the drug to disturbing compulsive behavioral side effects that can cause injury on the lives of patients and their families.

Among these side effects is pathological or compulsive gambling, a financially crippling side effect that can destroy lives. People with compulsive behaviors will do anything to continue the chosen activity, even if it means withdrawing from friends and family and ignoring the rest of their lives.

May 9, 2016

Prilosec side effects trigger lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Since first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989 to treat heartburn, Prilosec has been linked to numerous side effects. Some of these side effects have triggered lawsuits against the manufacturer.

Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor. Proton pump inhibitors are a type of medication that decreases the amount of stomach acid to prevent Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or acid reflux. They act by blocking the production of acid.

The primary symptoms of GERD are heartburn, an acid taste in the mouth, and regurgitation. Prilosec is also prescribed to treat certain stomach/intestinal ulcers and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

May 6, 2016

Transvaginal Mesh lawsuit verdicts and settlements

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Transvaginal mesh injuries can change a women’s life and cause a lot of pain. They often require multiple medical procedures or surgeries. Even then, medical professionals make no guarantee. Recent jury verdicts and settlements against the device makers have sought to assist women in dealing with the high costs of a mesh injury.

Johnson and Johnson’s Ethicon has been the slowest transvaginal mesh device manufacturer to offer settlement. Perhaps one reason for the slow response from this manufacturer deals with the fact that they face the highest number of federal lawsuits. The company likely wants to dispose of unworthy claims before offering a settlement. Despite this, the company in 2015 settled 4 lawsuits for an undisclosed amount.

In some cases, juries have awarded millions of dollars to women injured by Ethicon’s mesh devices.

May 5, 2016

Hip and Knee Replacement Lawsuit

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Some patients who develop an infection after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery have filed lawsuits against the makers of a device named Bair Hugger. The device is used in a number of hip and knee replacement surgery and may be linked to some serious side effects.

The Bair Hugger device is usually used without the patients knowledge. The device is a warming blanket used to help maintain a patient’s body temperature during surgery. Doctors utilize devices to maintain a patient’s body temperature because studies have shown that maintaining proper body temperature can reduce bleeding, speed up recovery time, and provide other benefits.

Surgical warming blankets, such as Bair Hugger, work like a forced-air heater, pushing warm air through a hose into a blanket covering a patient. The device releases warm air over a patient’s body, but also releases air under the surgical table. The air released under the table may have the potential to cause bacteria and germs to spread throughout the room, landing on a patient’s surgical site. This may cause an infection in the patient’s knee or hip, such as sepsis and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Unfortunately, these infections are very difficult to treat when they occur deep in a patient’s joint.

May 5, 2016

Risperdal lawsuit settlements and jury verdicts

by Dr. Shezad Malik

If you file a Risperdal lawsuit, there is guarantee that you will win a trial verdict or obtain a settlement. But based on previous cases, it appears that the makers of Risperdal may be motivated to settle claims in order to avoid revealing information that may lead to more lawsuits or avoid trial verdicts.

Aron Banks was the first person to take his Risperdal personal injury claim to trail against the drug manufacturer. Banks was prescribed Risperdal when he was nine years old even though the drug wasn’t approved for use by children at the time. He experienced rapid weight gain, suffered injury to his endocrine system and experienced psychological trauma. He also developed breasts large enough to require surgery to remove them, a condition known as Gynecomastia.

In September 2012, the makers of Risperdal decided agreed to settle Banks case under the condition that neither Banks nor his attorney would reveal the amount. But his attorney did tell the media that he believed “the possibility of more evidence of off-label marketing and improper conduct by Johnson & Johnson had something to do with the settlement.”