Legal Help for Your Pharmaceutical Injury Case
If you’ve suffered from taking a medicine or using a medical device, you need to speak with a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney. As a dangerous drugs lawyer Memphis TN has trusted for years with its toughest cases, we can help.
Our firm handles complicated pharmaceutical cases with ease. For decades, we’ve helped clients win against the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
If you’re looking for an attorney who takes your situation seriously, you can trust our award-winning staff will do exactly that. And you don’t have to worry about expensive attorney fees or hidden costs: we never receive a penny unless you do.
What Are Dangerous Drug Injuries, and How Do They Happen?
Dangerous drug injuries refer to situations where prescribed or over-the-counter medication causes serious harm or injury.
While many prescription drugs are safe and extremely important, some can lead to serious and even fatal injuries. Sometimes the drug companies aren’t aware of these risks when they begin marketing their product to the public.
But in far too many cases, companies do know the risks. Instead of making doctors and patients aware, they avoid telling the public and even hide crucial information. This can and does happen even with all the testing and regulations required by the federal government.
In addition, some companies will even fight back against additional regulations when the risks become clear. They don’t want bad press to impact their bottom line. And they’ll continue marketing dangerous drugs to medical professionals and their patients.
As a result, doctors often trust the medications, and patients take them without ever questioning their safety.
As a dangerous drugs lawyer Memphis TN relies on, I’ve seen countless injuries caused by these unsafe practices, including:
- Cancer
- Liver disease
- Stroke
- Heart failure, and even
- Death
Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that these are often preventable problems. If only the drug companies were honest with consumers, many people wouldn’t get injured. But instead, they treat the devastated patients as just another part of their budget. Time and again, we’ve found they discussed it this way in their company documents.
They decide some people’s lives are a worthwhile sacrifice. But you have a way to fight back.
How Our Lawyers Fight Your Injury Case
If you’ve been hurt by one of these drugs, it can feel extremely lonely and confusing, especially if you aren’t sure exactly what caused your injury.
Plus, once you start fighting back, it can feel even more daunting. Drug companies are one of the most powerful industries in the world. They have teams of attorneys hired to defend them if and when their products kill people. You don’t want to go it alone against those giants.
As a dangerous drugs lawyer Memphis TN trusts with their biggest cases, I have a lot of experience with even the largest corporations. We’ve helped take on some of the most powerful drug companies in the world, and won. And we want to help you get the compensation you need and deserve.
As just an example of our work, some recent cases include:
- Zofran (connected to birth defects)
- Tylenol (connected to liver failure)
- Johnson & Johnson baby powder (connected to ovarian cancer)
- and many more.
So we have a track record to prove we can handle your case.
In addition, our experienced team will treat you with compassion and respect. We communicate throughout the process and help you make wise decisions every step of the way. That’s how we won multiple Martindale-Hubbell awards for client satisfaction. And it’s how our firm has earned a five-star rating on Avvo and an A+ from the Better Business Bureau.
Our qualified, respected team of attorneys have fought for Memphis and won, time and again. And we can help you, too.
Contact a Memphis TN Dangerous Drugs Lawyer
If you have questions about your situation, or if you’re unsure whether you even have a case, we can help.
We offer a free consultation and can answer any of your concerns, no strings attached. And if you do decide to work with us, there’s no attorney fee unless we win.
If you think you or a loved one might have been injured by a dangerous drug, contact us online or call (901) 327-2100 today.
You can talk with a top dangerous drugs lawyer Memphis TN has trusted for years, free of charge.
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Frequently Asked Questions | Dangerous Drug Injury Lawsuits
What is a dangerous drug injury lawsuit?
A dangerous drug injury lawsuit is a legal claim brought against a pharmaceutical company or drug manufacturer when a person has suffered harm or injury as a result of using their product.
These are civil lawsuits that claim the pharmaceutical company or drug manufacturer was responsible for the injuries for a few possible reasons, including:
- inadequate warnings about potential side effects
- manufacturing defects
- improper or misleading labeling, or
- a failure to disclose the medication’s known risks.
We represent clients in these lawsuits with one main goal in mind: to get compensation for their physical, emotional, and financial losses that resulted from using the drug.
What types of injuries can lead to pharmaceutical injury lawsuits?
Because the pharmaceutical industry is vast, covering a wide variety of potential health issues, the injuries can also vary a lot.
Pharmaceutical drug injuries can impact just about any part of the human body and lead to serious side effects or even death. Some examples include:
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs)
These are unintended and harmful reactions to medications. They can range from mild side effects like rashes or nausea to severe organ damage or even death.
Birth Defects
Some medications can lead to birth defects in newborns if taken during a pregnancy. For example, the drug thalidomide, which was once prescribed for morning sickness, was tragically linked to limb deformities in babies after the fact.
Heart Problems
Some highly-prescribed pharmaceuticals have later been associated with an increased risk of heart issues, including arrhythmias, heart attacks, and hypertension.
Liver or Kidney Damage
Certain medications – including the over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen – can cause liver or kidney damage. This is especially true if taking them for an extended period of time.
Bone Fractures
Long-term use of certain prescription drugs, including some types of osteoporosis and HIV drugs, has been linked to increased risks of bone fractures.
Psychiatric Health Issues
Certain medications can lead to psychiatric side effects. This might include increased depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts.
Allergic Reactions
Drug companies should always test against the possibility of medication allergies, especially when mixed with other medications. Allergic reactions to medications can result in life-threatening or even fatal anaphylactic shock.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Certain drugs can cause severe gastrointestinal issues, including ulcers, gastritis, or bowel problems.
Neurological Disorders
In extreme cases, certain drugs may cause seizures or movement disorders.
Cancer
Some medications used long-term have been linked to increased risks of specific types of cancer. For example, we represented clients who developed ovarian cancer as a result of using Johnson & Johnson baby powder.
Addiction
Some medications have been shown to have a higher rate of addictive properties. This is perhaps most famously true for opioid pain medications, which have been linked to the start of the opioid epidemic and devastated countless communities across the United States.
Can I file a lawsuit for any adverse drug reaction?
While it’s important to take any side effects seriously as a patient or medical provider, not all adverse reactions lead to viable lawsuits. For a case to be successful, you need to have evidence linking the injury directly to the drug’s use and potential negligence on the part of the manufacturer or distributor.
How do I prove negligence in a pharmaceutical injury lawsuit?
To prove the drug company was negligent, you typically need to show they failed to inform the public properly of the risks involved. This could mean they didn’t provide adequate warnings about known risks, actively concealed information, or released a defective product.
You may not have knowledge yourself of whether or not the company bears responsibility. Fortunately, our attorneys can often find this out as part of the discovery process. In fact, if you hear about a dangerous drug case in the news, it’s likely attorneys have already discovered what they believe is bad behavior on the part of the drug company.
What compensation can I seek in a pharmaceutical injury lawsuit?
Compensation may include any losses as a result of your injuries from taking the drug, including:
- medical expenses
- lost wages
- pain and suffering
- emotional distress, and in some cases,
- punitive damages to punish the pharmaceutical company for egregious misconduct.
Damages in these cases will depend on your individual situation, so your attorney can help you understand what you might be able to expect in your specific case.
Is there a time limit for filing a dangerous drug injury lawsuit?
Yes, pharmaceutical injury lawsuits are subject to something called a statute of limitations. These laws vary according to state, and they determine how long you have to file a case. As just an example, in our firm’s home state of Tennessee, you have one year after the injury to file a claim.
However, the date of the injury can be complicated in a dangerous drugs case, especially when the injury happened only after long-term use. It’s important to speak with an attorney quickly to know whether you fall within the legal timeframe.
For all of the above reasons, in order to avoid missing out because of the statute of limitations, you should make sure to find and hire a trustworthy attorney as soon as possible. It’s tragic to see people miss out on justice because they weren’t able to file their lawsuit in time.
Can I join a class-action lawsuit for pharmaceutical injuries?
Yes, if multiple people have suffered similar injuries from the same drug, you could potentially join a class-action lawsuit, which consolidates the claims. This can make legal proceedings move much faster. However, it may not be in your best interest to join a class action suit. Often if your case is strong, you have other options that may win you a higher amount.
Your attorney should always be looking to get you the highest amount possible in damages. So before signing onto a class-action suit, speak with an attorney who has experience with both class-action and individual lawsuits. We handle both all the time and would be happy to give you our thoughts.
Do I need an attorney for a pharmaceutical injury lawsuit?
While it’s not mandatory by law, it’s critical you have an experienced attorney for any dangerous drugs case.
These cases are incredibly complex – in fact, they might be the most complex type of civil case out there. First, you have an enormous amount to investigate, including complicated medical and health records and deeply technical scientific data.
On top of that, you’re going up against the pharmaceutical industry, which is one of the most well-funded and powerful industries in the world. These companies have nearly unlimited legal resources and will topple most any individual on their own.
Last but not least, you have the potential of extremely drawn out, heated settlement negotiations and even large-scale trials if needed.
A powerful and experienced law firm will provide valuable guidance, build a strong case, and negotiate on your behalf.
Perhaps most importantly, we personally fund the enormous effort to investigate and build your case. These cases can be extremely expensive, and most people could never afford the costs upfront. We only win if you do, so it’s in our best interest to invest in your case and fight for you with everything we’ve got.
What role do government agencies play in pharmaceutical injury lawsuits?
Government agencies like the FDA monitor and regulate pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, far too often, they fail to see the potential dangers in a new drug. However, their studies – and how a drug company presented their data to the federal government – can be critical in building a case.
In addition, these agencies collect adverse event reports to help people know if a drug is dangerous. And FDA recalls can be essential pieces of evidence in pharmaceutical injury cases.
Can I still file a lawsuit if the drug has been recalled?
Yes, and in fact it can help your case tremendously. Depending on the circumstances, a recall may indicate the pharmaceutical company was aware of safety issues and should never have brought the drug to market in the way they did.
Additionally, the same can be said for changes to the drug’s packaging and distribution. For example, if a drug company adds a black box warning label (the most serious kind) to a drug after you took it, it can prove their negligence for not warning you better ahead of time.
What can I do if I still have questions?
Our attorneys are here to help any time. The conversation is completely free, no strings attached. We can answer your questions and help you figure out your options moving forward.
Just contact us online today or call us at 901-327-2100.
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