Dangerous Drugs

 Product liability cases in the pharmaceutical context concern dangerous drugs, and the harm that these dangerous drugs often cause unknowing individuals.  In essence, a case of this nature is designed to prove that the drug in question was defective at the time it was placed into the stream of commerce by the manufacturer.

Your Attorney Should Understand the Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmaceutical and dangerous drug cases are extremely complex and require an attorney with a true understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, the separate divisions within pharmaceutical companies, and the interrelationship between pharmaceutical companies and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In Many Cases, Class Action Is Not Your Best Option

Many people who call our firm have heard that there maybe a class action involving a dangerous drug that they took.  We are not generally class action attorneys.  Rather, we represent individuals who have been seriously injured by a drug, and we take on the drug company one-on-one.  It is our experience that a client will end up far better off if he or she sues the company individually, as opposed to being lumped in with other cases in a class action, many of which are not serious cases.

Case example: We represented a young lady from South Georgia in a case against the manufacturers of the weight loss drugs Fen-Phen.  Although the client had only taken the drugs for a short period of time, the client had developed a serious medical condition called primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH).  As opposed to lumping this client's case in with other cases, we sued the manufacturers individually and were able to obtain a confidential multi-million dollar settlement for the client.

Our Atlanta Attorneys Are Experienced in Dangerous Drug Cases

In recent years, there has been litigation involving many dangerous drugs, including: Accutane, Baycol, Bextra, Celebrex, Crestor, Dabigatran, Fen-Phen, Multaq, Pradaxa, Prempro & Premarin, Rezulin, Serzone, Spiriva, Vioxx, Zyprexa, Transvaginal-Mesh, Actos , DMAA and Low-T Treatment to name a few.

Experienced Acetaminophen Attorneys Representing Clients Nationwide

Over the last 12 years, the attorneys in our Tylenol group have uncovered literally thousands of internal industry documents concerning acetaminophen and liver failure.  These documents, in our opinion, make clear that the industry has known for decades that acetaminophen can be a very dangerous drug that can cause devastating injuries and death to unsuspecting consumers.  Despite this knowledge, the industry has continued to advertise and “push” Tylenol and drugs containing acetaminophen on consumers, using slogans that are designed to make us think the medication is completely safe.  Slogans are designed to increase sales – not inform consumers of the danger.

The legal issues in a Tylenol or acetaminophen liver injury case are complex, and this is yet another reason why experience matters.  Generally speaking, we seek to prove in these cases that the drug is “defective” in the legal sense.  To show that a drug, such as Tylenol or acetaminophen, is “defective” may include: (1) showing the drug is improperly marketed through inadequate warnings; (2) showing the drug is improperly designed or manufactured; or (3) showing that the company was simply negligent in the manner in which it designed or marketed the drug.

 

How Tylenol Liver Failure Happens - The Science

 Acetaminophen is a simple molecule.  It was first recognized in the late 1800s and then roughly 50 years later it was found to have analgesic (pain relieving) properties. Acetaminophen was released as an over-the-counter medication in the United States in 1950. Billions of pills have been sold since then, and the drug companies have diligently tried to keep acetaminophen’s dirty little secret out of the public eye.  That dirty little secret is that under certain circumstances acetaminophen may cause acute liver failure and death.

The liver is a vital organ that is essential for life.  One of the liver’s main functions is to break down chemicals, including drugs. Every time you take acetaminophen, it is metabolized by your liver and broken down into other chemicals.  A certain portion of the drug is metabolized into a toxic by-product known as NAPQI.  Usually, this toxic by-product is quickly broken down into a non-toxic chemical, but under certain circumstances, too much NAPQI may accumulate, which results in liver damage or complete liver failure.

If acute liver failure occurs, a person either dies or must receive a liver transplant promptly.  Patients who receive liver transplants usually still have many medical issues to deal with.  They will generally spend weeks or months in the hospital, require extensive follow-up care and may experience coma, decreased blood pressure, and even irreversible brain damage.  Our Tylenol group has represented individuals with all of these unfortunate and devastating conditions.

Common Terms Associated with Acetaminophen Overdose

 Acute Liver Failure: A medical term used to describe the sudden failure of the liver.

Acetaminophen: An ingredient found in common over-the-counter and prescription medications such as pain relievers and fever reducers.

Paracetamol: The international non-proprietary name for acetaminophen.

FDA: Food & Drug Administration, which is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that is responsible for promoting the public health through the regulation and supervision of medication.

Acetylcysteine or NAC: An antidote commonly used to treat acetaminophen overdose.

Toxin: A poisonous substance.

Overdose: Taking too much medication or drugs, either accidentally or intentionally.

Fasting: Eating very little or no food.

Tylenol: A common pain reliever and arguably the most widely recognize drug containing acetaminophen.

Pharmaceutical Product Liability: A term used to describe the area of law dealing with cases involving injury or death caused by dangerous drugs