Wrongful Death

July 16, 2009

Midland Texas Wells Contaminated with Chromium

Beverly Crouch spent hundreds of dollars on chemicals last fall to try to get the green tinge out of her backyard pool.

It wasn’t until two months ago that she learned why the chemicals she put into her 13,000-gallon, above-ground pool wouldn’t clear the water. The green color came from well water contaminated with hexavalent chromium, a known human carcinogen.

Crouch, 44, isn’t alone. Some of her neighbors’ wells gushed water the color of urine.

Texas environmental officials are still trying to determine the extent of the contamination. Later this month, they will ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to consider the site for federal Superfund status.

After that, efforts will begin to find who dumped the dangerous chemical, which appears to have been in the area for years, according to one environmental investigator.

July 15, 2009

Rhabdomyolysis and Cholesterol Lowering Drugs

by Dr. Shezad Malik

A serious and potentially fatal muscle condition, known as Rhabdomyolysis, could be caused a number of different prescription medications.

The use of statin drugs, such as Baycol and Crestor, have been linked to side effects of Rhabdomyolysis, and the combination of drugs containing simvastatin, such as Zocor, Vytorin and Simcor, with heart drugs containing amiodarone, such as Cordarone and Pacerone, could increase the risk of the disorder. Recent reports also suggest that the dietary supplement Hydroxycut is associated with reports of rhabdomyolysis.

July 14, 2009

Gadolinium MRI Dye Linked to Skin Disease

by Dr. Shezad Malik

A Rhode Island woman has joined 516 other plaintiffs in a massive lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that make certain dyes used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The woman, who did not want to be identified, was diagnosed with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in 2006 after being injected with a contrast-agent made with gadolinium . It’s a rare disease that affects people with renal failure, such as kidney disease.

The contrast-agent, or dye, is used during an MRI to help technicians and doctors examine tissue. Patients with healthy kidneys simply flush the gadolinium out. People diagnosed with NSF, however, describe their skin turning wood-like, eventually cracking. The disease can move to organs where it can be fatal.

July 13, 2009

Medtronic Paradigm Recall: Quick-Set Infusion Sets for MiniMed Insulin Pump

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Medtronic Inc. has recalled three million disposable infusion sets designed for their MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps after discovering that some of them could deliver incorrect doses of insulin, potentially leading to injury or death.

The Medtronic Paradigm recall involves one lot of Quick-set infusion sets, which are disposable plastic tubes used to infuse a diabetes patient from the Medtronic insulin pump. They are usually replaced after three days. Medtronic issued a press release on July 10 alerting users that approximately 2%, or about 60,000 units, from one lot of its infusion sets have a defect that could give too much insulin to the patient.

July 10, 2009

$31 M Verdict Against Ohio Hospital Negated by Settlement Agreement

by Dr. Shezad Malik

A $31 million verdict against Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, could be the largest jury award for a medical malpractice case in Ohio history, though a settlement agreement makes it unlikely the hospital will have to pay that much.

As the jury was deliberating, after a four-week trial before Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Timothy O’Connell, attorneys for the hospital and the family of Leondo Stanziano worked out a settlement agreement.

July 9, 2009

Dallas County to Settle Two Jail Inmate Lawsuits

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Dallas County commissioners voted Tuesday to settle two federal jail neglect lawsuits for close to a half-million dollars.

County officials say the lawsuits are the last major legal claims related to prior conditions in the jail system, which were described a few years ago by federal investigators as being dangerous to inmates’ well-being.

As a result of the settlements, the family of former inmate Rosie Sims will receive $250,000, and former inmate Bruce A. McDonald will receive $190,000, minus legal expenses.

Sims, 60, who was mentally ill, died in the Dallas County jail in 2005.

July 8, 2009

Yasmin and Yaz Side Effects

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Yasmin was introduced in 2001 by Berlex Laboratories as a combined hormonal oral contraceptive. After Berlex was acquired by Bayer Healthcare in 2006, they marketed Yaz, which was an identical drug to Yasmin, except that Yasmin contained 30 mcg of ethinyl estradiol, while Yaz contained 20 mcg. Yasmin/Yaz was sold throughout the world but they are linked with problems and side effects.

Side effects such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism (PE), heart attack, stroke and death were prevalent among women who used Yasmin/Yaz. These problems were linked to drospirenone, which acts as a diuretic related to spironolactone. This causes high potassium levels, called hyperkalemia, which results in serious heart problems and other serious health issues.

July 7, 2009

Suicide Warnings for 2 Anti-Smoking Drugs

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Federal drug regulators warned that patients taking two popular drugs to stop smoking should be watched closely for signs of serious mental illness, as reports mount of suicides among the drugs’ users.

But officials emphasized that fear should not stop patients from taking the smoking-cessation medicines, Chantix, made by Pfizer, and Zyban, made by GlaxoSmithKline, which also sells it under the brand name Wellbutrin, for depression.

July 5, 2009

Defective Drugs: Chantix

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Side effects of Chantix could increase the risk of suicide or lead to a number of serious and life-threatening injuries.

The side effects of Chantix are being reviewed for potential lawsuits for individuals who suffered severe physical injury or death which may be related to the use of Chantix. The anti-smoking drug has been linked to a number of psychological side effects and other problems which could be caused by the effect the drug has on the brain.

July 5, 2009

County Settles in Cyclist’s Death After Crash

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Santa Clara County has agreed to pay $2.3 M to the parents of one of the bicyclists killed when a former sheriff’s deputy drove his patrol car into a group of cyclists.

The payment settles a lawsuit filed against both the county and the deputy by the family of cyclist Matt Peterson, 29, who was killed in the crash. Negotiations are still ongoing in civil suits filed by the family of the other cyclist who died, Kristy Gough, 30, and with Christopher Knapp, 21, who suffered two broken limbs but survived.