Recovering Compensation from Injuries Caused by Defective Medical Devices and Dangerous Drugs
Thousands of people each year become the victims of injuries or illnesses caused by defective pharmaceutical medications, medical devices, and medical implants. Often, the hazards associated with these products go far beyond the known side effects. This means that there are defective medical products on the market that are the result of a company or manufacturer’s failure to adequately study or test a product before it reaches the hands of consumers. Survivors of injuries caused by defective medical products and pharmaceutical medications, and family members of those who have been wrongfully killed by these devices, are often able to recover compensation for their injuries and losses.
Defective Pharmaceutical and Over-the-Counter Medications
Pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medication defects go far beyond the side effects that you have seen listed on their commercials or written on the side of the prescription container. Manufacturers of these products are legally required to conduct extensive testing and studies before they are released to the general public for use and consumption.
In general, all medications are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but there are still times when drug manufacturers do not thoroughly and completely test their products. There are also times when there is a rush to get a product to the market in order to make money, and this rush may involve skipping vital steps in the quality control process.
There are many prescription and over-the-counter medications recalled every year in this country. Some of the most popular medications that are currently facing recalls or there are currently involved in lawsuits in this country include the following:
- Nexium Litigation
- Zantac
- Elmiron
- Zofran Litigation
- Actos (Pioglitazone)
- Testosterone Medications
- Granuflo
- Depakote
- Fosamax
- Risperdal Litigation
- Avandia
- Yaz and Yasmine
- Plavix
- Zyprexa
- Reglan
- Pradaxa
- Hydroxycut
Defective Medical Devices
Similar to pharmaceutical medications, medical devices must also be approved by the FDA before they can be released to consumers and medical providers. Companies and manufacturers have the same responsibilities in terms of designing, studying, and evaluating their products prior to them reaching the market. However, a failure to conduct adequate testing could result in a defective medical device reaching consumers. There are many well-known medical device failures that are currently or have previously been involved in lawsuits in the United States, including the following:
- Hernia Mesh (various manufacturers)
- Transvaginal Mesh (various manufacturers)
- Mirena IUD
- DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant
- Bard IVC Filter Litigation
- 3M Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplug (CAEv2)
- Stryker Femoral Stem
- Guidant Defibrillators
- DePuy ASR Hip Implant
- Medtronic Defibrillators
- IV Bag Contamination
Contact an Attorney About Your Claim
If you or somebody you care about has been injured or become ill after using a defective prescription medication or after using or implanting a defective medical device, seek legal assistance as soon as possible. A skilled product liability lawyer will be able to help you with every step of the legal process. An attorney can use their resources to conduct a complete investigation into the case, determine liability, and hold the manufacturer responsible for what happened. The goal is to ensure that you or your family member receives the closure and compensation you are entitled to for what happened.