Manufacturer Triumphant in Recent Actos Personal Injury Lawsuit
A lawsuit that alleged Takeda Pharmaceuticals acted negligently and failed to properly warn doctors and physicians about the dangers of their Type 2 diabetes drug Actos was decided in favor of the defendant, the medical manufacturer.
In the case of An, et al v. Takeda, the jury agreed that the pharmaceutical company acted negligently, as they failed to warn Diep An’s doctors that their drug could significantly increase the risk of developing bladder cancer. Mr. An’s family issued the personal injury lawsuit on their loved one’s behalf, as An passed away due to the seriousness of his bladder cancer.
Mr. An was a Vietnamese immigrant who worked as a translator for the US Army. He began taking Actos in 2007 to treat his Type 2 diabetes, ad was diagnosed with “high-grade bladder cancer” in September 2011. He died in January 2012.
However, the jury ruled in favor of Takeda Pharmaceuticals, because they agreed with the manufacturer that Mr. An contributed to his cancer by smoking for 30 years. As a result, judgment was entered in favor of Takeda, in accordance with Maryland state law.
“We have empathy for Mr. An’s family,” said Kenneth D. Greisman, senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. (Mr. An is deceased). “However, we believe we presented sufficient evidence that his condition was not caused by ACTOS but rather resulted from other risk factors such as his age and smoking history.”
The An family’s lawyers, however, we’re optimistic about the ruling. “We consider the verdict to be a vindication of our claims that Takeda failed to properly disclose the risks of this drug,” they said.
This is the second Actos personal injury claim to go to trial. The first case in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) consolidated in Louisiana will go to trial in January 2014. The MDL labeled 2299, recently gained a new bundled Actos complaint, and now the number of personal injury cases in the MDL has risen to 2,500.
Actos Is Linked to Serious Personal Injury
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
