Fresenius Dialysis Injury Lawsuit Brought in Louisiana
The state of Louisiana has filed a Fresenius dialysis injury lawsuit due to severe personal injuries and wrongful deaths of patients treated by the company, and especially by its dialysis powders Granuflo and Naturalyte.
There are nearly 100 Fresenius dialysis clinics in Louisiana that used Granuflo and Naturalyte, which has since been recalled by the federal government after the powders were found to cause fatal heart attacks.
According to some earlier Fresenius dialysis lawsuits, Fresenius knew as early as 2004 that Granuflo and Naturalyte, if not used properly, could cause elevated bicarbonate levels in a patient’s blood, which can increase the risk of heart attack. The dialysis injury problem, according to the state’s lawsuit filed in the 19th Judicial District Court, knew that the dialysis machines and Granuflo and Naturalyte powders would require special instructions for use to prevent patients from suffering heart problems, but Fresenius failed to warn doctors or patients, even though it opened several dialysis clinics and sold Granuflo and Naturalyte powders to dialysis centers and hospitals that were not owned by Fresenius.
A study from 2010 conducted by Fresenius found that 941 dialysis patients at 667 of the company’s clinics nationwide suffered cardiac arrest during treatment.
In March 2012, the Food and Drug Administration issued a Class I recall of Fresenius’s Granuflo and Naturalyte powders, which is the most serious drug recall possible, alleging that patients can be severely injured or die if they use the defective drug.
Louisiana’s lawsuit against Fresenius was filed by the state Attorney General’s Office, and claims that Fresenius violated Louisiana state law in an effort to defraud dialysis clinics, patients, physicians, and the state and its residents. Louisiana seeks $5,000 per violation under the state’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The state also seeks for Fresenius to repay any profit that the company made on the sale of Granuflo or Naturalyte in Louisiana.
Granuflo and Naturalyte Lawsuits Against Fresenius Receive MDL
According to a court document from Friday, March 29th, 2013, several plaintiffs who have personal injury lawsuits against Fresenius, the manufacturer of GranuFlo & Naturalyte dialysis powders, have had their lawsuits consolidated into one multidistrict litigation (MDL) in Massachusetts.
The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPMDL) released a statement from their March 29th decision saying that both Fresenius and many of the plaintiffs favored Massachusetts to house the MDL, which is now officially MDL No. 2428.
“Weighing all factors, the District of Massachusetts stands out as an appropriate transferee forum. Four of the eleven actions on the motion are pending in this district, as are another twenty seven related actions. The district is favored both by Fresenius and by numerous plaintiffs,” the JPMDL said in their court document. Fresenius is based in Waltham, Mass.
The document listed the reason for consolidation into an MDL: “All the actions share common factual questions arising out of allegations that plaintiffs suffered injury or death caused by the use of GranuFlo and/or NaturaLyte products during hemodialysis, which allegedly may cause metabolic alkalosis in patients resulting in low blood pressure, hypokalemia, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, cardiac arrhythmia, or cardiopulmonary arrest.”
The Strom Law Firm Accepts Cases Against Fresenius for GranuFlo or Naturalyte Injuries
If you or a loved one has had dialysis with GranuFlo or Naturalyte and have since suffered serious heart problems, or if a loved one has received dialysis treatment with either of these drugs and has died from heart complications, you may be entitled to compensation. Defective drugs can cause serious harm, including wrongful death, and drug manufacturers must be held to a high standard regarding their customers’ health. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. With over 30 years’ experience combined, our lawyers can help you with personal injury lawsuits, including cases against medical manufacturers such as Fresenius, the manufacturer of GranuFlo and Naturalyte. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us today. 803.252.4800
