A massive outbreak of Hepatitis A across eight states has officially affected 79 people, many of whom have ended up in the hospital. The outbreak was linked to organic “antioxidant blend” berries produced by Townsend Farms, marketed under the name “Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend” and sold at Costco and Harris Teeter stores.

On June 4th, Townsend Farms issued a recall for the berry blend, but by June 5th, it was discovered that 79 people across California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Washington had come down with Hepatitis A. The CDC interviewed ill patients, and 40 of 55 of them recalled having eaten the berry blend before becoming sick.

Now, some of the patients are issuing personal injury lawsuits against the manufacturer or the stores that sold the contaminated product.

Lynda Brackenridge, a 51-year-old woman living in Lakewood, California, is suing Townsend Farms and Costco after she became one of the 11 people contaminated with Hepatitis A to end up in the hospital.

After she ate the berries on May 22nd, Brackenridge came down with a fever, chills, and fatigue. Soon after that, specific Hepatitis A symptoms began to appear, including darkened urine, jaundice, and dry heaving. She went to the hospital and found that she had the highly contagious Hepatitis A, and was isolated from other patients.

Her lawyer says that it is unclear when Brackenridge will be released from the hospital. Although her doctors hope that she will make a full recovery, they cannot say for sure yet. According to the CDC, Hepatitis A is fatal to 1 in 200 patients.

The CDC’s website notes that this particular strain of Hepatitis A is unusual in North America, and more common in the Middle East and North Africa. According to the berry’s label, ingredients came from several far-away places, including Argentina, Chile, and Turkey, as well as the US.

A resident of San Diego, California has also come forward and filed a personal injury lawsuit against Costco. Cathy Wilson, 58-years-old, is the caretaker for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s Disease. After contracting Hepatitis A, Wilson has been unable to attend work, or see her mother. Although her symptoms are finally beginning to clear up, Wilson is still fatigued and says that she cannot safely make the drive to either location.

“I’m very fatigued. I basically don’t leave my house,” said Wilson.

A third personal injury lawsuit was filed on Friday, June 7th, for Placentia, California resident Andres Nieto. On May 1, Mr. Nieto consumed Townsend Farm’s berries and became ill. After going to an urgent care facility for help, he was diagnosed with possible Hepatitis, but they did not say what strain. A few days later, Mr. Nieto became even more sick, and was hospitalized. After several tests, doctors informed him that he had contracted highly contagious Hepatitis A. Although his health is beginning to improve, he still experiences fatigue, and will have to undergo many blood tests to ensure the disease clears his system. He will also need testing to uncover any long-term liver damage, which can be caused by Hepatitis A.

An attorney from Townsend Family Farms said they believe the pomegranate seeds from Turkey are to blame. The FDA and CDC are still investigating the outbreak.

The Strom Law Firm Protects Citizens Harmed by Defective Products, Including from the Hepatitis A Outbreak

The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm keep a close watch on recalls of dangerous and defective products in the US. We aim to protect our clients’ health and safety, and hold manufacturers to the highest possible standard of safety. Product recalls are especially important because defective drugs, medical devices, food, and toys can seriously injure or even kill consumers. If you or a loved one have experienced severe, life-limiting side effects from a defective product or drug, such as contracting Hepatitis A from Townsend Family Farm’s berries, and believe that your pain stems from a product recall that came too late, you may be entitled to compensation. The Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800

Research suggests that, when a child or young athlete suffers a concussion, it could take them up to  two weeks to stop suffering the side effects, which include memory problems and headaches.

However, in a new study, children and young adults who suffered their second concussion in the last year took much longer to recover – 35 days on average, according to the new research.

While it should be obvious that multiple head injuries are a bad thing, the new study suggests that some coaches and parents could have hustled their children back into sports programs before they were ready, which could cause further brain damage.

Researchers reported that among 280 children and young adults, ranging from 11 to 22 years old, who had suffered a concussion in the past year, those who suffered similar head injury in the past took almost twice as long to recover.

Recovery was slowed even further for children who had had more than one concussion in the past.

Sports involvement is a major source of concussions for young people, accounting for almost two-thirds of the brain injury in the study. Generally, experts recommend that students involved in sports wait until all their symptoms have cleared up, and they have been cleared by a health care professional, before returning to the game.

This latest study suggests that parents and students should not only wait until concussion symptoms have gone away, they should gradually reintroduce the student’s regular routine.

“It’s been part of the medical lore, this idea that multiple concussions are ‘bad,’ and having a repeat concussion within a short amount of time is bad,” said Keith Yeates, chief of pediatric psychology and neuropsychology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. But this study, he added, helps confirm that.

The study did not suggest whether repeated concussions led to long-term memory or cognitive problems. Professional athletes, who often suffer multiple concussions over a short, highly physical career, often report long-term cognitive problems. One recent study involving retired professional football players found an increased risk of Alzheimer’s and Lou Gherig’s disease.

It’s not clear, though, whether that high-risk time window actually lasts a whole year. “We need to figure out, more specifically, what the vulnerable window is,” said lead researcher Dr. Matthew Eisenberg, of Boston Children’s Hospital. “Is it one month? Is it three months? We don’t know.”

Concussion Tips for Children

• Make sure they sleep full nights – no sleepovers!

• They should rest throughout the day – naps!

• No sports, no swingsets, no monkey bars, no rough play, no bikes!

• No concentration heavy activities.  This should make the homework averse children happy

• Ask a doctor before giving any over-the-counter medications

• Get the go-ahead from a health care professional before sending them back to school

• Make sure other adults in the child’s life are informed about concussions and any treatment or rest needs the child has because of their injury

• Make sure they are eating well and keeping hydrated, limit junk food and sodas

• Not too much time in front of screens – computers, video games, phones, ipads, etc

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Cases Related to Concussions and TBI

If your child received a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of negligence on the part of the school or sports league, you may have a personal injury case. The attorneys at Strom Law, LLC can help. We offer free consultations to help get you on the road to recovery, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.

In 2010, serious health concerns related to the use of Avandia forced the FDA to put strong warning labels on the drug. European pharmacies pulled the drug from shelves, and only about 3,000 people in the US currently take Avandia, despite concerns about stroke or heart disease.

However, an advisory panel for the FDA will meet for two days to reconsider Avandia and its restrictions, as some are saying that the diabetes drug is not as dangerous as once thought.

The FDA will spend two days reviewing a new interpretation of a study that evaluated Avandia’s heart attack and stroke risks, which suggests that the drug is actually as safe as older diabetes drugs. During the meeting this week, the FDA will take an usual step and ask a panel of experts to vote on a range of options for the drug, including lifting restrictions on use.

The debate about Avandia has cost manufacturer Glaxo billions of dollars and a tarnished reputation, and has raged for three years. The latest in the argument is a positive safety review from Duke University.

Originally, Avandia was the top-selling diabetes pill in the world. It was approved in 1999, and by 2006 its total global sales had skyrocketed to $3.4 billion. The following year, however, an analysis of dozens of studies suggested that Avandia could seriously raise the risk of heart disease and heart attack in patients.

However, patients with Type 2 diabetes are already at an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack, so for three years, a definitive answer to the question has never been reached.

Skepticism of Avandia Remains

The FDA panel is not without its critics. “You want to take a regulatory action because it’s going to benefit patients. I don’t see how patients could possibly benefit from lifting these regulatory restrictions,” said Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, who authored the 2007 analysis that first raised public safety concerns about Avandia.

Nissen and other critics suspect that the panel will meet simply to justify the FDA officials who struggled for years to keep Avandia on the market in the US. Because Nissen had authored one of the original analyses of Avandia, he offered to present at the meeting, but was turned down.

The original Avandia study, called RECORD, followed 4,400 patients and tracked their rates of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke, as well as rates of hospitalization and heart-disease related death for six years. It is so far the lone major study to focus on Avandia’s side effects, and since 2009, when it was published, it raised many questions from a variety of experts.

The new study, however, cannot be considered independent – reportedly, Glaxo helped Duke finance the latest research.

“The readjudication was limited because it relies largely on the original database and source documents in collaboration with GSK,” said Dr. Thomas Marciniak, medical team leader of FDA’s Division of Cardiovascular and Renal Products.

Despite the suspicious funding, Glaxo has said that it has no plans to market Avandia again.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Avandia Personal Injury Lawsuits

Did you or a loved one suffer any of the following injuries?

• Undergoing treatment for Congestive Heart Failure

• Heart Attack

• Stroke

• Congestive Heart Failure resulting in death

Avandia side effects can be mild or, in some cases, can even cause death. The way your body reacts to Avandia depends on a variety of factors – your overall health and medical history for instance.

The pharmaceutical liability lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies that produce dangerous drugs and products like Avandia. We will fight to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the justice you deserve.  Contact our defective drug and wrongful death attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case as well as your legal rights. Contact us today. 803.252.4800.

The US Department of Justice has filed a complaint, acting on behalf of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The complaint has gone to the US District Court of South Carolina, and was filed against the South Carolina town of Timmonsville for wastewater and drinking water violations related to toxic leaks.

According to the complaint, there were substantial and potential risks to human health posed by raw sewage discharges, and partially-treated wastewater, which were being dumped into the surrounding environment.

In April, residents of Timmonsville told news reporters that water comes out of their faucets discolored, and with a foul smell. They believed it to have something to do with the toxic leaks of sewage.

Timmonsville has violated the Clean Water Act, the South Carolina Pollution Control Act, and the South Carolina Drinking Water Act, for years, according to an EPA official in a press release.

The EPA said that it has issued two orders, since 2005, to Timmonsville officials, demanding that they address the toxic leak and sewage issues that cause serious health and environmental threats. The release stated that the town failed to properly operate its wastewater system.

The latest complaint documents how the wastewater treatment plant has been discharging partially-treated wastewater since September 2012, and the town’s sewer system regularly has toxic leaks and overflows of untreated raw sewage.

South Carolina DHEC has also issued its share of orders – three have been sent to town officials since 2007, ordering them to deal with the toxic leaks and sewage at their wastewater plants.

DHEC and the EPA have discussed with town residents plans to transfer ownership of the wastewater treatment plant to the City of Florence. A special election will be held June 25th to decide the outcome of Timmonsville’s current wastewater treatment owners.

Florence City Council members approved a resolution to take over the town’s wastewater treatment plant in April, help stop the toxic leaks and sewage overflows, and absorb the $6 million debt related to improper water treatment.

Toxic Torts Help Protect Citizens Against Future Toxic Leaks

A toxic tort involves the exposure of individuals, often in large numbers, to harmful chemical or biological substances.

When this exposure results in serious injuries or health problems and you can show that those problems were caused by the negligence or carelessness of others, the law says that those who are injured or suffered the loss of a loved one due to wrongful death are entitled to compensation.

Toxic tort cases can be challenging. There are often multiple parties at fault and any legal claim must consider all avenues of potential liability making it extremely important to select a toxic tort law firm with experience necessary to successfully pursue a claim.

Exposure to toxic leaks and toxic substances can have life long effects.   Whether you have been exposed to:

• toxic substances on the job,

• pesticides,

• Exposure to contaminated ground water or air,

• Exposure resulting from accidental spills or improper disposal of toxic waste,

• Household chemicals including disinfectants,

• Industrial chemicals including solvents,

• toxic medical products and devices or

• Exposure to radiation

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Toxic Leak Claims or Toxic Torts

If you or a loved one were exposed to a toxic leak or substance and suffered injury, contact the toxic tort attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. to discuss your situation in more detail and for further information about our practice. We welcome co-counsel opportunities and regularly accept referrals in toxic tort cases from lawyers practicing in other parts of the country. We also offer free, confidential consultations so you can discuss the facts of your case safely and with impunity. Contact us for help today. 803.252.4800

Johnson & Johnson is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world. Recently, they have come under heavy fire for several defective products, including transvaginal mesh, all-metal hip implants, and a variety of drugs, that cause severe side effects that lead to personal injury, disability, and sometimes death. They have had to issue product and drug recalls for over 40 products in the last four years alone.

The latest in a slew of personal injury concerns comes in the form of a massive drug recall issued by the manufacturer. J&J has issued a drug recall for their contraceptive Cilest, a birth control pill. They are yanking 32 million boxes of the drug off pharmacy shelves in 43 countries, because the active ingredient dissolves too slowly into the body, which decreases the contraceptive effect.

“The risk to women is considered to be very low as there is no impact on the safety or efficacy of the product,” a J&J spokeswoman wrote. The company added that the drug recall is a voluntary measure, taking place at the wholesale and pharmacy level, and the recall does not affect the US. J&J’s spokeswoman added that there is a “very low” risk that the flawed tablets could cause unplanned pregnancies.

The drug recall specifically covers 179 batches, with each batch containing 180,000 boxes at the consumer level. J&J stated that 800,000 boxes of the effective version of the drug remain available at the consumer level.

Companies that manufacture pharmaceuticals are required to hold back a sample from each lot they produce for periodic stability and safety testing. J&J noted that the two-year-old packages had been fine and worked properly, but tests last month showed that the latest batches were not releasing female hormone as they should.

Cilest has been distributed in Europe, Asia, and Latin America since 2011. It has not made its way to the US.

Litigation Against Defective Birth Control and Improper Drug Recalls

Birth control medications were established in the 1960’s.  Since that time, there have only been four main types of progestin used. However, because the progestin is new, there is not a lot of information to support claims that the hormone is safe when used in combination with estrogen to prevent pregnancy.

Birth control uses chemicals similar to the female body’s hormones to help prevent pregnancy, but the drugs walk a fine line between ineffectiveness and terrible side effects. Drug recalls for other forms of birth control including Yaz hormone pills and Mirena IUD’s have led to personal injury lawsuits, as the companies did not recognize consumer complaints quickly enough.

Consumers that have been harmed by defective products such as drugs, medical devices, or other products, may be eligible to receive legal remedies. Such legal remedies, or damages, may include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of physical capacity, pain, suffering, and mental anguish. Punitive damages are also available in many jurisdictions to punish defendants in those cases involving particularly egregious conduct which demonstrates a reckless or wanton disregard for the safety of the public.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Improper Drug Recall Personal Injury Cases

If you or a loved one have been injured or died as a result of a dangerous drug given with a prescription, over the counter medication, improper drug recall, or defective medical device, you need an experienced pharmaceutical liability law firm which is able to stand up for your rights, and seek justice on your behalf.

The dangerous drug personal injury lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public, and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies. We will fight to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the justice you deserve.  Contact our defective drug and wrongful death attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case as well as your legal rights. 803.252.4800.

The family of a woman who died from a serious side effect related to Humira has been awarded $2.24 million in a personal injury lawsuit.

On Thursday, May 30th, the jury entered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff against Humira, Milton Tietz, who had filed the personal injury lawsuit on his wife’s behalf. According to Tietz, the drug manufacturer did not do enough to warn doctors about the severity of the side effects that came with taking Humira. His negligence lawsuit was awarded $2.24 million.

“We were stunned,” her son, Curtis Tietz, said of the award. “We were pleased with the verdict and the victory it provided my mom.”

According to the lawsuit, Delores Tietz was prescribed Humira to help with her rheumatoid arthritis in October 2009. After she took the drug for seven months, she began to experience chest pain and fevers, and was later diagnosed with histoplasmosis, which had been induced by Humira. Because she was diagnosed very late, she did not survive.

“We felt somebody should be held responsible for this,” said her husband, Milton Tietz. “It was not really the hospital’s fault and not the doctor’s fault. It was Abbott Laboratories.”

In 2008, the FDA issued an alert to all manufacturers of TNF blockers like Humira to provide new information to doctors and pharmacists about the high risk of histoplasmosis. Tietz’s lawsuit alleges that Abbott Laboratories failed to send the required letter to physicians, alerting them to the risks associated with their drug, until May 17, 2010 – 20 months after the initial FDA alert, and 10 days after Delores Tietz was hospitalized.

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. The infection primarily targets the lungs, but can occasionally move to other organ systems and is sometimes fatal. Symptoms of histoplasmosis can be mistaken for other diseases such as cold, flu, or even tuberculosis.

Humira Manufacturer Plans to Appeal

According to a statement from spokesperson Adelle Infante, the drug manufacturer will appeal the decision against Humira.

“Humira has more than 15 years of clinical and safety data, with therapeutic risks well documented in the prescribing label,” the statement said. “We will appeal this verdict based in part on the jury’s assessment that the medical community was sufficiently warned about the risk of histoplasmosis.”

The Strom Law Firm Represents Personal Injury Cases Against Dangerous Drugs Like Humira

Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. is a leader in the consumer protection battle against dangerous prescription drugs and medical devices, like Humira. We represent individuals who have been killed or injured by dangerous or defective pharmaceuticals. If you or a family member have been injured or killed after using a dangerous drugs or medical products such as Humira, contact our dangerous drug lawyers as soon as possible so that we can begin taking steps to preserve evidence and your claim immediately. We offer free consultations to discuss the facts of your case. 803.252.4800

According to reports, Ford Motor Company recently issued a vehicle recall notice for 465,000 cars due to a fuel leak that can lead to a fire hazard.

Ford Motor Company says that models under the vehicle recall include the 2013 Ford Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Interceptor Utility and Interceptor Sedan, as well as the Lincoln MKS, MKT and MKZ. Approximately 420,000 vehicles are in the US, Canada, and Mexico; the rest are overseas.

Ford reports that it has not received any reports of fire due to the leak, or of any injuries related to the problem. However, the company did note that it has received 600 complaints about the fuel leak from customers since March 31st.

“While a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire, there have been no reports of fires (and) we are not aware of any accidents or injuries attributed to this condition,” said Ford in a press statement.

Ford has already issued a vehicle recall in the last year for a potential fire hazard. In July 2012, the company recalled 11,500 of model year 2013 Escape SUVs because of a defect in the fuel line. At the time, Ford advised their customers to not even drive the vehicles until they had been repaired because the potential for fire was so high.

This most recent vehicle recall does not have a similar warning. However, this is one of the largest vehicle recalls in Ford’s history.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Defective Products and Vehicle Recall Cases

To protect yourself and your family, it’s important to know what products have been recalled because they are defective or unsafe. Federal agencies such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) frequently issue recalls for medical devices, drugs, and products that may be harmful to consumers.

Every year, thousands of consumers sustain serious injuries from defective products. Many of these injuries could be avoided if the manufacturers or distributors of these products took additional steps to ensure consumer safety. Defective products that commonly cause injuries include medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and other defective products such as toys, cars and automotive parts.

If you have experienced a problem with a defective product in your automobile, especially if a defective part has led to an auto accident or personal injury, and a proper vehicle recall notice has not been issued, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We can help you with complicated auto insurance claims, and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve to help you with lost income and medical bills. Our attorneys are licensed to practice in South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today at (803) 252-4800.

After deeper investigation, the Department of Health and Environmental Control is expanding its investigation into a possible Hepatitis B outbreak in a North Charleston clinic.

According to DHEC spokesman Jim Beasley, on Wednesday, May 28th, the department is asking all former and current patients of the Tri-County Spinal Care Center in North Charleston since September 2011 to undergo tests for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.

The alert was expanded since the original notification on May 17th, in which more than 20 patients who received routine spinal injections were notified that they would need to undergo blood testing for Hepatitis B. Three patients who received similar injections were found to have contracted the disease.

“DHEC’s investigation included a review of infection control procedures and injection practices,” a press release announced. “It was determined that procedures may have been performed that resulted in a potential for exposure to an infection.”

“Since the clinic’s injection practices have not changed since they began offering injections in September 2011, DHEC cannot ensure that patients who received injections at any time since then were not exposed to a blood-borne pathogen,” the release continued.

The clinic immediately stopped all injections after DHEC ordered the investigation into their practices. So far, all staff have been cooperating with the investigation into the source of the Hepatitis B.

Chiropractic Physician Cameron Willis commented on the expanded investigation on Wednesday, saying “We have always used sterile, single-use supplies for injections. We do not reuse syringes or needles.”

“We are committed to providing safe, reliable care for the relief of spinal pain. We continue to provide non-invasive care for our patients,” Wills said in an earlier interview.

If patients are concerned they can call the clinic at 843-225-7746 to speak with a doctor. Patients of the Tri-County Spinal Care Center are currently being directed to the Northwoods Health Clinic for blood testing.

Hepatitis B is a virus often spread through unprotected sex. However, the disease can also be contracted from contaminated objects entering the body, such as needles. Because Hepatitis B is a virus, the body can sometimes clear the disease without a problem, or the virus can cause a lifetime of complications. There is currently no cure, although infants, international travelers, and health care workers are vaccinated against the disease.

Symptoms of Hepatitis B include fever, fatigue, nausea, joint pain, and dark urine.

Infections, Including Hepatitis B and C, and HIV, Can Lead to Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

A doctor is responsible for providing a standard of care equal to the doctor’s training and experience under a particular set of circumstances. The standard of care, however, changes depending on a number of factors specific to your situation. Although medical malpractice is really a form of negligence, it must be proven through the use of expert witnesses since the issues involved almost always require specialized knowledge and skills which are beyond those of the average lay juror.

Health care professionals and hospitals are responsible for compensating a patient injured as a result of medical malpractice, including if the patient suffers an infection related to medical treatment after the fact. Medical malpractice suits can arise under the following circumstances:

1. Against a government agency that operates hospitals or provides specified medical care.

2. Against a hospital for administering improper or overdoses of medication, negligent nursing care, inadequate sanitation, infection, or equipment failure.

3. Against a physician, who in the general practice of medicine, deviates from the general accepted standards of practice in the community.

4. Against a medical specialist who deviates from a nationally accepted standard of practice for specialists in that field of medicine.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Claims for Medical Negligence, Including for Hepatitis B

If you or a loved one have been injured, harmed, or killed because of medical negligence, including contracting serious communicable diseases like Hepatitis B, HIV, or meningitis, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help get you the compensation you deserve, to get you through these tough times. We are licensed to practice across South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. To help you with your case, we offer free, confidential consultations. Do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.

Amag Pharmaceuticals, partnered with Takeda Pharmaceuticals, which has recently come under fire for their potentially dangerous Type 2 diabetes drug Actos, issued a drug recall for their anemia drug after reports of patient illness, and one death.

Amag has issued a drug recall for all batches of Feraheme, sold as Riesno in Switzerland, where the patient died. The company says it will investigate the problem, and gather data on safety reports, in their securities filing.

“This decision is based on a cluster of four post-marketing adverse event reports in Switzerland concerning hypersensitivity reactions of varying severity following the administration of Rienso from this batch,” Amag said in the filing, adding that new batches won’t be introduced in Switzerland until regulators approve.

Takeda called the drug recall a “precautionary measure,” saying that hypersensitivity reactions are one of the potential side effects listed on the bottle.

Riesno was approved last August to treat anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease.

According to Swissmedic, there have been four reports of acute hypersensitivity reactions through the Vigilance surveillance system. As only 1,000 ampules of the drug have been supplied to Switzerland this year, that means the number of reports is “several times higher” than expected, based on previous experience internationally.

Shares of Amag Pharmaceuticals dropped about 4.2% after the news regarding the voluntary drug recall broke.

Drug Recalls and Personal Injury

Did you know that every year approximately 200,000 Americans die from prescription drug reactions? While the U.S. government pours billions of dollars into illegal drug interdiction every year, more Americans die from legal, prescription drugs than illegal ones.

Every year, thousands of consumers sustain serious injuries from defective products. A defective product lawyer can help you with an injury you may receive. Many of these injuries could be avoided if the manufacturers or distributors of these products took additional steps to ensure consumer safety. Defective products that commonly cause injuries include medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and other defective products such as toys, cars and automotive parts.

There are a number of reasons that defective products make it to our shelves:

• Defective manufacturing

• Inadequate testing

• Design defects

• Marketing Misrepresentation

Consumers that have been harmed by defective products such as drugs, medical devices, or other products, may be eligible to receive legal remedies. Such legal remedies, or damages, may include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of physical capacity, pain, suffering, and mental anguish. Punitive damages are also available in many jurisdictions to punish defendants in those cases involving particularly egregious conduct which demonstrates a reckless or wanton disregard for the safety of the public.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Defective Drug Recall Cases

Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. is a leader in the consumer protection battle against dangerous prescription drugs and medical devices. We represent individuals who have been killed or injured by defective pharmaceuticals, or drug recalls that came too late. If you or a family member have been injured or killed after using a dangerous drugs or medical products such as Omontys, contact our defective drug lawyers as soon as possible so that we can begin taking steps to preserve evidence and your claim immediately. We offer free consultations to discuss the facts of your case. 803.252.4800

On Thursday, May 23rd, Intuitive Surgical won their first personal injury case, which went to court in Port Orchard, Washington. The case was one of many personal injury and wrongful death cases to accuse the surgical robot manufacturer of negligence and fraud regarding the sale of their robots.

After a 5-week trial, the jury returned with a Not Guilty verdict, 10-2. Fred Taylor’s bereaved family will receive no financial compensation for their loved one’s death.

The case is the first of 26 lawsuits against the da Vinci surgical robots, which are in 2,000 hospitals across the United States, and were part of 300,000 surgeries just last year.

According to testimony for the plaintiff, Fred Taylor’s death was the result of an untrained surgeon. Intuitive insists that only 200 hours are necessary to reach proficiency, but the plaintiffs argued that a surgeon does not have hundreds of robot surgeries under his belt, , steer clear.” Because Taylor’s surgeon did not have enough experience, a simple prostate surgery became a seven-hour ordeal that eventually worsened Taylor’s heart problems, and led to his death.

However, attorneys for the defense argued that Fred Taylor never should have undergone that type of surgery, and the surgeon, not the manufacturer, was negligent. Taylor was a 5’11”, 280 lbs man, which meant that his body mass index was 39 – morbidly obese. Taylor suffered a host of medical problems, including diabetes and heart disease. He had been a smoker for decades.

According to the jury, Taylor’s already poor health was responsible for his post-operation complications, and not the surgical robot that performed the operation.

Bildsten had performed 100 successful prostatectomies in the past, using traditional methods.

“We are pleased with the jury’s verdict,” Angela Wonson, a spokeswoman for Intuitive, said in an e-mail statement. “Intuitive Surgical’s technologies have extended the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to over 1.5 million patients around the world. We will continue our commitment to patients, surgeons and hospitals to uphold the highest standards of safety.”

Complications with Surgical Robots

The Da Vinci robot is designed to improve a surgeon’s range of motion during surgeries such as hysterectomies and prostate removal, but the machine is also being used in gall bladder removal, gastric bypass, and thyroid cancer surgeries.  The Da Vinci Robot is intended to facilitate these minimally invasive surgeries by granting greater range of vision and motion, minimizing patient blood loss and speeding recovery.

A number of patients who have undergone surgery using a surgical robot, especially hysterectomy procedures, have reported suffering severe health complications including:

• Surgical Burns to Arteries or Organs

• Peritonitis (painful and tender inflammation of the lining of the abdomen)

• Sepsis

• Excessive bleeding

• Burning of nearby organs including the intestines

• Punctured blood vessels, organs or arteries

• Burns and/or tears of the intestines

• Severe bowel injuries

• Punctured or cut ureters

• Vaginal cuff dehiscence (reopening of the incision made to remove the uterus and cervix during a hysterectomy)

• Additional Surgical Procedures Following Robot Surgery

• Wrongful Death

South Carolina Da Vinci Surgical Robot Lawyers Can Help with Wrongful Death Cases

If you or a loved one has suffered severe personal injury, or a loved one has died, because of a Da Vinci robotic surgery, you do not have to suffer in silence. Contact the lawyers at the Strom Law Firm, LLC to learn how we can help you with your legal rights. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your personal injury or wrongful death case. 803.252.4800