Wrongful Death

August 21, 2009

Diacetyl Induced Popcorn Workers Lung

Dozens of workers around the country have developed the debilitating lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn workers lung,” and other respiratory illnesses from exposure to vapors from diacetyl, a component of artificial butter flavor used in microwave popcorn and many other food products.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted several studies that confirmed the link between occupational exposure to artificial butter flavoring and lung diseases. In 2000 they issued recommendations to a Missouri microwave popcorn plant about protecting workers from this hazard, and in 2003 they sent an alert recommending safeguards to 4,000 businesses that might use or make butter flavoring.

August 21, 2009

Avandia Risk of Heart Failure and Lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

If you believe you may have been harmed by the use of Avandia, it is important to note that your time to file a lawsuit against the maker of the drug could be running out. The statute of limitations in many states is coming up soon, and there still may be people who do not realize that the injury they have suffered could be related to their Avandia use.

New research shows that diabetics treated with the popular drug Avandia have higher risk of heart failure and death than those taking Actos, leading Canadian scientists to conclude that “continued use of [Avandia] may not be justified.”

The findings, published in today’s edition of the British Medical Journal, are the latest blow to the controversial blockbuster drug, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Inc.

Researchers stressed that the findings are relative and that Actos, a product of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc., also poses heart risks, albeit lesser ones.

August 21, 2009

Gadolinium Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (MRI Dye) and Lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

A dye used in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and MRA (magnetic resonance angiography) scans has been linked to a rare and potentially fatal skin disease in some users.

The problem stems from the metal gadolinium found in the dyes injected into some patients before MRI scans and all patients before MRA scans.

The disease is known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NFD), and appears to only occur in patients with kidney disease who undergo an MRI or MRA where a gadolinium-based dye is used.

August 21, 2009

Yas/Yasmin JPML Hearing Set for September 24, 2009

by Dr. Shezad Malik

The Yasmin/Yaz lawyers at the Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm are investigating potential Yasmin/Yaz lawsuits throughout the United States for claims on behalf of patients who took the drug and now suffer from deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in legs), pulmonary embolism, and/or strokes. Yasmin/Yaz have also been associated with heart attacks and death. These Yasmin/Yaz lawsuits allege product liability, negligence and failure to warn claims against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical.

A MDL hearing has been set in the JPML Court in Richmond, Virginia on September 24, 2009.

August 21, 2009

Fleet Phospho Soda Side Effects and Lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

The Fleet Phospho-soda attorneys at Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm are investigating potential lawsuits for individuals who have suffered severe kidney damage after a colonoscopy prep where Fleet Phospho-soda was used.

While most patients only became aware of the potential for Fleet Phospho-soda kidney problems when the product was recalled in December 2008, the manufacturer has been aware of the potential side effects for years.

August 21, 2009

Yasmin, YAZ, Ocella Birth Control Personal Injuries

by Dr. Shezad Malik

YAZ, also known as Yasmin or by its generic name Ocella is a birth control pill originally developed and manufactured by Berlex Laboratories, (a U.S affiliate of Schering AG).

YAZ, Yasmin, Ocella (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol) is a combination birth control pill which contain two types of hormones: estrogen and a progestin. It is the only 24/4-day pill with the unique hormone, drospirenone (drsp) and its manufacturer claims that the product provides additional health benefits other then pregnancy prevention.

August 20, 2009

Fleet Phospho Soda and Kidney Damage

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Fleet Phospho Soda, a laxative product used for varying applications, was the subject of a December 2008 consumer alert from the FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration). The alert warned that the use of phosphate-based laxatives such as Fleet Phospho Soda could result in kidney failure, even among individuals who do not have a medical condition that puts them at risk for kidney failure.

Fleet Phospho Soda is available without a prescription, it is a non-prescription laxative. It is widely used to clean the intestines before a colonoscopy and other medical procedures.

The Phospho Soda works by drawing fluid from the rest of the body into the colon; if an individual does not consume enough water or other fluids during Phospho Soda use, he or she may become dehydrated. The individual’s level of phosphate salts in the kidneys may also become too high — a development that can result in a type of kidney damage called acute phosphate nephropathy (APN).

August 20, 2009

Yaz and Yasmin Linked to Pulmonary Embolism, Heart Attacks and Strokes

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Yaz is a relatively new oral birth control medication. But an unfortunate number of patients have found, Yaz also causes serious, and life-threatening side effects including pulmonary embolism (blood clots to the lung), heart attack and stroke.

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. – the drug’s manufacturer – before being regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a recent mandate, marketed Yaz which minimized these very serious side effects, and misleading millions of women about the safety of this medication.

If you’re taking the prescription medication Yaz or Yasmin, also manufactured by Bayer, and have had any of the side effects associated with these compounds, you may be entitled to compensation.

August 20, 2009

Court Overturns $53 M Awarded in Wrongful Death Nursing Home Case

by Dr. Shezad Malik

The state Court of Appeals has overturned a $53 million damage award to the family of an Albuquerque woman who died in a nursing home.

The court ordered a new trial. The daughter of 78-year Barbara Barber filed a lawsuit alleging her mother died in December 2004 of gastrointestinal bleeding that went untreated by the nursing home staff.

In tossing out the jury verdict, the appeals court said a district judge was wrong in a pretrial finding that ManorCare Inc., a Toledo, Ohio-based company, was the employer of the nursing home’s staff. The court said there was conflicting evidence on that issue. ManorCare contended that a subsidiary company owned and operated the Albuquerque nursing home, which was sold in 2005.

August 19, 2009

Federal Lawsuits: Yasmin/Yaz Responsible for Blood Clots

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Recent reports have noted possible dangers of Yasmin/Yaz in persons with some preexisting conditions. Federal lawsuits filed recently allege that since Yasmin and Yaz have been available, there have been over 50 related deaths and hundreds of serious health concerns due to complications with the medicine.

Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits filed allege that Bayer failed to adequately warn about the increased risk of serious heart and health problems associated with their birth control when compared to other available pills. They not only minimized the blood clot risk with Yaz and Yasmin, but also heavily marketing the drugs through deceptive advertisements designed to encourage doctors and patients to use their birth control pill over other available forms that may not present as great of a risk.