Couple Files Personal Injury Lawsuit in New Hampshire’s Federal Court Against Actos
A New Hampshire couple has filed a personal injury lawsuit in federal court alleging that Actos caused the husband’s bladder cancer.
William and May Youngclaus filed as part of the multidistrict litigation (MDL) against Actos, which alleges a variety of severe side effects, including higher risk for developing bladder cancer. The MDL is in the US District Court of Western Louisiana.
In 2003, Mr. Youngclaus was prescribed Actos to treat his Type 2 diabetes. In 2009, after taking the drug for more than 6 years, Youngclaus was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The plaintiffs allege that Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Actos, and their US distributor Eli Lilly & Co, have concealed, and continue to conceal, their knowledge of Actos’s link to bladder cancer.
The most recent case to go to trial, which was only the second personal injury case against Actos to go to court, was decided in favor of Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Although the wrongful death lawsuit alleged that the victim’s death from bladder cancer was directly related to his use of Actos for many years, Takeda successfully argued that the plaintiff was a pack-a-day smoker for 30 years, which drastically increased his risk for developing all types of cancer, including bladder cancer.
As of December 16th, there were 2,675 Actos personal injury cases pending in the MDL. The first case in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) consolidated in Louisiana will go to trial in January 2014.
Actos Linked to Serious Personal Injury
The FDA is currently investigating the risks of taking Actos, and says their review will wrap up next year. Based on evidence from new studies, the government agency issued a warning against Actos and said Takeda had to package their drug with the strongest possible warning label. Meanwhile, both France and Germany banned the drug from sale in their countries, and most recently, India temporarily banned Actos and the generic form pioglitazone, but after confrontations with doctors, rescinded the ban pending further study. The generic form of Actos, pioglitazone, was approved for use by the FDA last August.
There are several side effects associated with Actos. You should seek medical attention if you experience:
• shortness of breath or trouble breathing,
• chest pain,
• extreme fatigue,
• irregular heartbeat,
• dilated neck veins,
• swelling of face, fingers, feet, or lower legs,
• decreased urine output, and
• weight gain
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases, Including Against Actos
If you or a loved one have taken Actos to treat Type 2 diabetes, and have since suffered dangerous side effects including developing bladder cancer, heart disease, liver failure, or diabetic macular edema, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help with personal injury cases, including against Actos manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800
