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What Topamax can do

5/12/2011

Topamax attorney Originally, Topamax was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help treat epilepsy. Specifically, it addressed and helped to control specific seizures that epileptic patients have. However, in 2004, the FDA approved the widespread distribution of Topamax to treat migraines and has since become one of the most widely prescribed migraine medications on the market. What some may not be aware of is the elevated risk for developing Topamax side effects , or more specifically a Topamax birth defect in the form of a cleft lip or cleft palate. Recently, a relatively small study was published in a journal that linked the use of Topamax during pregnancy to an increased risk of serious Topamax birth defects . The increased risk was seen among women taking the drug to treat epilepsy, either alone or in combination with other epilepsy drugs. The study contained 203 women who used the medication Topamax during their pregnancy. About sixteen of those women gave birth to children with major birth defects. The study raises concerns regarding the topic of pregnancy and Topamax. It is not only a concern for women who suffer from epilepsy, but also women of childbearing age who use Topamax to treat migraines. With this new information, a new Topamax FDA warning has been issued and is now required because of the circumstances.

Previously, the FDA had classified Topamax a Pregnancy Category C, meaning there was no study using human data to demonstrate the risks to a baby if the mother takes Topamax during pregnancy. Now, the FDA has changed the classification to a Pregnancy Category D, meaning there is a study using human data that suggests elevated risks to a baby if exposed to Topamax. By doing this, the FDA has significantly strengthened the Topamax warning, making more and more people aware of the elevated risks of Topamax and pregnancy. Side effects of Topamax should be considered if you are pregnant and taking Topamax or thinking about taking Topamax. It is the obligation of your physician to inform you of the benefits and the risks that are associated with a particular drug. If you or someone you know has given birth to a baby who suffers from a cleft lip or a cleft palate, contact a Topamax birth defects lawyer immediately so they can review your case and determine what your next steps should be.

Michigan Woman Files Complaint against Depuy’s ASR XL

(May 12, 2011)

Another depuy asr lawsuit was filed by a Michigan woman against DePuy Orthopedics Inc. and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. citing that not only did they misrepresent the quality of their asr hip replacement device to consumers, but they purposely concealed from the public its harmful effects. According to the records filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, one of the main defects of the product is the recipient’s loss of mobility and range of motion. The plaintiff further alleges that the Food and Drug Administration had received false statements from the defendants claiming that the depuy asr xl device was “substantially equivalent” to the products that had been previously approved and that the testing of the products had been adequate. The device which had originally approved by the FDA in 2005, was later recalled in August. In a large number of patient cases, a second hip replacement surgery was needed due to the severe pain and swelling that was being experienced. Due to the total hip replacement complications that the plaintiff was having with the DePuy’s ASR XL Acetabular System, she decided to file on behalf of herself along with others who had been experiencing similar problems with the product. According to the suit, the hip replacement prosthesis was known for “becoming unstable and fail within months after surgical implantation despite the fact that such hip implant devices are supposed to last more than 15 years.” In addition to the unreliability of the product, the metal ball and socket bearing begins to produce metal-like debris over time and that could possibly eventually seep into patient’s surrounding bone and tissue. The plaintiff further charged that “As a result of these defects, patients that have had the device implanted have endured, or will endure, unnecessary severe pain and suffering; debilitation; a partial or complete lack of mobility; inflammation causing damage or death to surrounding tissue and bone; and a subsequent more difficult revision surgery to replace the faulty device giving rise to even more debilitation, a prolonged recovery time, and an increased risk of complications and death from surgery”. If you or a loved one suffers from a Depuy defective hip replacement device and feels that the manufactures should be held accountable, do not hesitate to contact a depuy lawyer who can determine if you have a legitimate case.

Paxil Warnings

5/2/2011

Paxil warning Risks of taking this drug may need to be updated and made even stronger in order to fully provide information to people who are considering taking the medication. Paxil is considered to be an antidepressant, specifically a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). The drug works by restoring the balance of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin helps to improve certain mood problems. Paxil has been used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Like any other drug, there are side effects from Paxil that need to be made apparent to those who are taking the drug. Because of the side effects, there have been Paxil lawsuits.

One Paxil claim that has gone to trial has been in Illinois. In fact, an Illinois federal judge ruled that the drug maker is not shielded from liability under the learned intermediary doctrine. On July 7th, Judge Michael M. Mihm of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois also ruled that there is a genuine concern as to whether or not Paxil and its allegedly inadequate label could be responsible for an individual’s death and whether the drug can increase the adverse effects of Paxil by increasing the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The Paxil lawsuit came about as a result of a young lady taking the medication, and then two days later committing suicide by ingesting cyanide.

The charges that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) faces include claims of negligence, strict liability, breach of implied warranty and breach of express warranty and fraud. GSK brought depositions to attention that the young lady had thought about committing suicide several months before starting the medication. Both parties, the plaintiff and the defendant, brought contrasting evidence as to whether the side effects of Paxil include an increase in the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Not only is there a question of whether or not Paxil increases the risk of suicidal behavior, but also asks the question if the FDA Paxil warning is strong enough on the label. Overall, the judge granted GSK summary judgment on a punitive damages claim. The judge further ruled that even if a jury found that the drug maker did something wrong by concealing the suicide risk from healthcare providers, plaintiffs cannot recover from punitive damages under Illinois Law.

Side Effects of Paxil

5/2/2011

Paxil and side effects. Paxil, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is an antidepressant that is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Before taking Paxil, let your doctor know if you are allergic to any drugs or if you have liver or kidney disease, a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, seizures or epilepsy, bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression), or a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts. Like any other drug, there is important information about the possible side effects of Paxil that should be taken into consideration before beginning the drug. Paxil bad side effects include a possibility for increased thoughts of suicide when first beginning the antidepressant. This possibility is increased even more if you are younger than 24 years old. You will need to visit a doctor regularly for at least the first twelve weeks of treatment. Of course, increased suicidal thoughts and behavior are side effects that you definitely want to prevent. However, if you experience any of the other side effects from Paxil, contact a doctor immediately. They are as follows: mood or behavior changes, increased anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or more depressed than when first starting the medication. Unfortunately, there are even more side effects to Paxil. Paxil has the possibility to cause heart defects and serious, life-threatening lung problems in newborn babies whose mothers take the medication during pregnancy. So, taking Paxil while pregnant should definitely be strongly considered before starting the medication.

There is the potential for a Paxil birth defect if a pregnant woman takes Paxil during pregnancy. Because of this possibility, there are Paxil birth defects attorneys that can make a claim and file a Paxil birth defect lawsuit on your behalf. If you become pregnant while taking Paxil, contact your doctor immediately. You will need to discuss the benefits and the risks of taking Paxil while pregnant. If you become pregnant, do not immediately stop taking the medication because you may slip back into your cycle of depression.

Dealing with Cerebral Palsy

(May 12, 2011)

According to studies, out of 1000 births in the United States every year five to seven deliveries result in birth injuries . Unfortunately, many of these injuries that occur could have been prevented during the labor and delivery process, however, often times they are contributed to the negligence of the physician or hospital staff. Whatever may have been the cause, not only does the child have to deal with this life changing event, but so does the child’s parents but other family members and friends as well.

It is a great responsibility put upon the parents and caregivers of children who have suffered birth injuries and even though they work diligently to provide some type of normalcy, the psychological, emotional and even financial burdens can become overwhelming. Depending on how the parents or caregivers cope with the significance of the situation they face, will determine how others will always see the situation and what part they can play in lessening the stress. One of the most common types of birth injures is cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a condition where muscles suffer from impaired coordination (spastic paralysis) as well as other disabilities. This condition usually occurs by injuries or abnormalities of the brain that is caused either before or after birth. In some cases this birth injury can be caused by low levels of oxygen going to the brain as well. Most of these problems occur as the baby grows in the womb, but they can happen at any time during the first 2 years of life, while the baby’s brain is still developing. Cerebral palsy is a condition, sometimes thought of as a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking.

Even though raising a child who has suffered from a birth injury is never easy, there are people and resources at your disposal including reputable birth injury lawyers who are there in hopes of eliminating some of that financial burden. If your child has suffered due to medical negligence, you owe it to them as well as your family to do the best you can to provide a better quality of life.

(February 22, 2011) A former plumber who suffered because of asbestos exposurehas been awarded an out-of-court mesothelioma settlement. He filed a mesothlioma lawsuit against his former employer, Hawkins and Holmes Limited, where he maintained and repaired boilers and flue pipes between 1961 and 1973.

Cyril Faulkner, a resident of Woodland near Bishop Auckland, alleged that he was exposed to asbestos during his employment and accused his former employers of fraud and negligence for failing to warn him of the hazards attributed to asbestos exposure.

In October 2008, the plaintiff was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects the protective lining that covers the lungs, heart and abdomen. It is commonly caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos is a toxic material that became increasingly popular during the 19th and 20th centuries among manufacturing and construction companies because of its desirable physical properties, such as sound absorption, average tensile strength and resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damages.

It was commonly used in products such as fireproofing building materials, textiles, insulations, gaskets and automotive brake pads and clutches. When these asbestos-containing materials are destroyed or disturbed, asbestos fibers are then released into the air and when inhaled can fester in the lungs for decades, causing major health problems like asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.

Faulkner claims that during his career as a plumber, he was not given safety equipment when working with the material. In addition, the company failed to warn them of the dangers associated with asbestos and failed to do anything to protect them. Accordingly, the company agreed to pay a substantial amount of money to the plaintiff, allowing him to live in as much comfort as possible considering his painful condition.

(February 23, 2011) DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuits are increasing against manufacturer, DePuy Orthopedics, part of the Johnson and Johnson Family of Companies. The United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) fast track of Depuy Hip Replacement devices has led to early failure rates, leaving 12-13 percent of patients facing difficult revision surgery and at risk for metallosis.

The Food and Drug Administration’s fast track approval process is known as the 510(k) process. This course of action allows medical device makers to have their devices approved sooner, if they can prove the device is comparable to another one that has already been approved and is currently on the market. The development of this process was intended to make it easier for the FDA to deal with the considerable number of approval applications that it receives every year.

Depuy Hip Replacement is a surgical procedure wherein the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic device. It was approved by the FDA in 2003 and performed on more than 93,000 patients all over the world. The DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular System were both approved under the fast-track procedure. DePuy was therefore able to circumvent the normal approval system. This was done despite the fact that the ASR Hip Resurfacing Systems and the ASR XL AcetabularSystem were at least a little different from the existing hip implants that were already in the market. The Depuy Hip Implant was designed to last 15-25 years in first time hip implant patients, but soon reports of the device lasting less than five years began pouring in. By 2009, the FDA received more than 400 reports of early failure rates.

These cases are examples of manufacturers and agencies bypassing safety for the benefit of business. If you or a loved one has been injured because of a Depuy Hip Implant , contact a DePuy Hip Implant Recall Lawyer for evaluation of your case.

(March 7, 2011)

A birth injury lawsuit has been filed against Memorial Hospital and Dr. Michael E. Herrmann in St. Clair County Circuit Court. The parents of a child who suffered a brain injury during the birth process are seeking $150,000, plus costs.

Per the birth injury lawsuit, Jennifer and Lance Schneider claim their daughter, Sophia, was born with hypoxic brain injury due to lack of oxygen at birth. According to the complaint, Sophia Schneider developed cerebral palsy, losing her capacity to enjoy a normal life, and sustained disfigurement, disability, pain and suffering.

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movements and muscle coordination. If someone has cerebral palsy, it means that because of an injury to their brain (cerebral) they are not able to use some of the muscles in their body in the normal way (palsy). Children with cerebral palsy may not be able to walk, talk, eat or play in the same ways as most other children. Depending on which areas of the brain have been damaged, people with cerebral palsy may experience one or more of the following: muscle tightness or spasm, involuntary movement, disturbance in gait and mobility, abnormal sensation and perception, impairment of sight, hearing or speech and seizures.

Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth. Ten to fifteen percent of cerebral palsy is caused from a recognized brain jury, such as infection, bleeding into the brain and damage caused by lack of oxygen. It is very important to understand that a brain injury caused during delivery in many cases could have been prevented. Medical mistakes are responsible for thousands and thousands of cerebral palsy cases.

In this particularbirth injury lawsuit, the parents contend that low-standard medical treatment caused the child’s cerebral palsy. The mother alleged that at the time of her delivery, the doctor negligently ruptured membranes when the child’s head was engaged before her birth and failed to utilize in utero resuscitation maneuvers and prepare for an immediate Cesarean section in the event of prolonged deceleration.

At present, the average lifetime cost for one person with cerebral palsy can be $921,000. It would be out of the question for a parent, on their own, to establish that a medical mistake caused their child’s cerebral palsy or brain damage. It is only through the concentrated efforts of a birth injuries lawyer that the question, “was my child’s cerebral palsy avoidable?” can be answered.

I recently read an article by Philadelphia attorney Neil Murray about the recall of a product that I personally have used. The recall by Triad Group included alcohol swabs, alcohol pads and swab sticks, which were sold under a variety of brand names.

From my perspective as a consumer, I was shaken that this medical product was unsafe. As a marketer, I started thinking about the challenges businesses face when they must address recalls and similar issues in this age of rapid dissemination of information.

At some point in their lives, almost all business owners or managers will have to deal with negative publicity. This might come in the form of a product recall that hits the national news or it could be an unhappy client posting a review on Google Places, Facebook or any number of other sites. Whatever form it comes in, reputation management should be part of your plan. This is especially important for law firms, as reputation is everything.

In today’s information-based world, bad press stays out there on the Internet. The wider the original net was cast, the harder it can be to counter the after-effects. The level of response depends on the type and severity of the negative publicity. Here are a few things to consider when you put together your response plan:

1. You absolutely must have a plan ahead of time. If one of your cases generates significant publicity, you will have very little time to consider options before the news spreads and you are forced to respond. A timely and proactive response may “short-circuit” some of the publicity.

2. Respond, you must. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away and can make it significantly worse.

3. Attempts to cover errors can be much worse than admitting the error and announcing your firm’s action plan to deal with the problem.

4. Your response should match the scope of the original issue. As an example, if your firm receives negative TV coverage (local or national), your firm’s survival may be at stake and this should be an “all hands on deck” response. For a negative online review, you might respond directly to the reviewer with a public commitment to resolve their complaint (i.e., we’re sorry you didn’t like the service, here’s what we’ll do to resolve your issue).

5. Be proactive – don’t wait for the complaints to come in. Invite all customers to post reviews and let them know you value their opinions. Build your community now. The folks who love you and your service will frequently step up and defend your firm if someone does post a negative comment. Most consumers are savvy enough to recognize that one or two extremely high or low reviews are probably outliers and should be ignored.

Your plan should be developed by a team that includes senior management and your marketing and PR folks. Take a close look at the plan to be certain you minimize liability. Various scenarios/contingencies should be considered.

Jeanne Frazer heads up The Expert Speakers, a group that provides marketing, management and motivational speakers, writers, coaches and mentors with expertise in all facets of marketing and management for law firms for events, seminars and workshops. Frazer is also president of vitalink® a creative + strategic marketing think tank that specializes in marketing for attorneys, law firms and legal associations. Jeanne may be reached at jfrazer@theexpertspeakers.com or 919.850.0605.