Product Liability Lawyer Blog

December 15, 2014

New Studies Examine the Appropriateness of Total Knee Replacement Surgery

A new article from the New York Times suggests that patients should be careful before agreeing to undergo total knee replacement. Patients who suffer from sore knees and have trouble getting around may give in too quickly to the temptations of having an artificial knee implanted.

The device manufacturers have created a series of computer animations and physical models to show how a new knee will change everything. After a quick operation and somewhat longer recovery, the patient is told he or she will feel years younger and be able to do all of the activities possible before having any knee trouble.
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December 12, 2014

Scott v. C.R. Bard, Inc.: On Transvaginal Mesh Injuries

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Scott v. C.R. Bard, Inc., an appeal from the Court of Appeal for the State of California, involved a plaintiff who was injured by a polypropylene mesh kit designed to treat women who suffer from a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse (POP). POP occurs when a female patient has weak vaginal walls that allow the uterus and bladder or rectum to enter the vaginal canal. POP can cause serious organ dysfunction, incontinence, pelvic pressure, and extreme pain, even to the point of becoming physically disabled.

Many patients will try less invasive treatment such as pelvic exercise, however, transvaginal mesh (TVM) manufacturers have convinced many POP sufferers that implanting a sling or other device designed to hold a piece of surgical mesh can solve the problem and allow the patient to lead a normal life.
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December 8, 2014

Risks of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Over the past decade, there has been a huge increase in the number of patients taking testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) drugs. A recent news article from IndyStar examines whether TRT drugs are a virtual fountain of youth or simply an increased risk for a having a heart attack.

Drug companies who manufacture testosterone replacement therapy products have created numerous ads targeting people who feel tired, have a lowered sex drive, feel depressed, gained weight, have thinning hair, and other characteristics of normal male aging and have convinced many of these men that they suffer from a condition known as “Low T.” Low T is a term created by drug companies to mean having a lower than average testosterone level, despite it not being an accepted medical condition.
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December 4, 2014

Xarelto Plaintiffs Push For Consolidation of Numerous Lawsuits

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Xarelto is a member of class of drugs known as New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) and has been the subject of many recent dangerous drug lawsuits. The makers of Xarelto (Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson) produced a drug linked to serious clotting disorders, internal bleeding, and intracranial bleeding. Patients were not sufficiently warned of these dangerous side effects and were not given a chance to make an informed decision before taking the drug.

According to a recent news article from Bloomberg, Xarelto manufacturers are fighting a push to consolidate the many lawsuits that have been filed. Plaintiffs have requested all cases be consolidated and heard in the U.S. District Court in Illinois by Judge David Herndon. Plaintiffs have specifically alleged 65 Xarelto deaths have already occurred.
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November 29, 2014

FDA Delays Rule on Generic Drug Warnings

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Drug manufacturers have an obligation to alert patients to any potential side effects associated with a particular medication. However, because of the way the laws are written, those who make and distribute generic drugs are actually prevented by law from alerting the public to potential problems.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been considering making a change to remove this limitation and allow generic drug manufacturers to issue warnings. This could also mean these entities might face liability if those warnings are later shown to be inadequate.

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the FDA ultimately decided to delay its new final rule addressing the issue.

A Boston dangerous drug lawyer knows consumers deserve to understand the risk they assume when they take any medication. Drug warning labels should provide comprehensive data on potential side effects that could present a risk to patient health. Additionally, there needs to be accountability when drugs cause dangerous side effects.
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November 27, 2014

Stryker Agrees to Billion Dollar Settlement for Defective Hip Products

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Stryker is one of many manufacturers working to resolve complaints arising from the sale of metal-on-metal hip implant products.

According to Market Watch, Stryker has now agreed to settle many of the claims pending against the company. An estimated $1 billion will be provided to certain victims of defective hip replacement and hip implant products as part of the settlement.

Before accepting a settlement or joining a mass tort, victims harmed by Stryker or other hip implant products need to consult with a Boston defective medical device lawyer. Once plaintiff has accepted a settlement, it is not possible to later seek broader compensation – even if the condition worsens.

Victims need to determine if they are eligible for compensation through the recent Stryker settlement, and if accepting money from the settlement is the right choice for them.
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November 25, 2014

Protect Boston Kids from Defective Toys During Holidays

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

With the shopping holiday season underway, this is the time of year when many children throughout the Boston area will begin to receive gifts.

Toys are a common present for children, and often kids cannot wait to start playing. Before parents allow kids to enjoy their new toys, however, it is very important to make sure the items the children receive have not been subject to a recall.

A defective or dangerous toy could cause your child to suffer serious injury or even to become sick. While the Consumer Product Safety Commission has made a strong effort to keep unsafe products off store shelves, some toys with health risks slip through the cracks and end up being sold on store shelves. When this happens and your child is hurt or killed due to a defective product, it is important to consult with a Boston defective product lawyer for assistance.
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November 22, 2014

Massive Stroller Recall Due to Infant Fingertip Amputations

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Around five million baby strollers manufactured by Graco have been recalled because there is a risk the strollers will amputate a user’s fingers. The recall affects 11 different models of Graco strollers that were made between August 2000 and September of 2014.

A Boston defective product lawyer knows when products are recalled, those who sell and own the defective items frequently do not receive proper notification. As a result, the dangerous product could remain in homes and on store shelves. Here, this means stroller owners could continue to be put at risk of serious injuries for a long time to come.
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November 19, 2014

Actor Steve Carrell Discusses Hip Replacement Surgery

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Actor Steve Carrell joked with David Letterman about his hip replacement surgery during a recent appearance on the talk show. According to a news feature by People Magazine, Carrell talked at length about the hip replacement surgery he had last year.

The 52-year-old actor said he hurt his hip during an old hockey injury and was walking with a limp before having hip replacement surgery. He took a few months to recover and is walking fine after the surgery. Carrel said the surgery cost around $10,000, and Letterman pointed out that they give you the old hip to make soup.
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November 16, 2014

Testosterone Replacement Therapy Drug Sales Fall Amid Health Concerns

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Drug companies have been reaping huge profits from testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) drugs over the past decade. The drugs come in many forms, including injectable, transdermal patches, skin gels, and oral tablets.

Despite the fact that scientists and doctors do not know if having a low testosterone (Low T) level is harmful or if it is beneficial to raise a patient’s testosterone, TRT use has increased at an alarming rate of over 400 percent. In fact, TRT drugs were first developed in the 1970s to threat the still rare condition of hypogonadism.

What testosterone replacement therapy manufacturers did not want patients to know is there are serious side effects associated with TRT, including an increased risk for strokes and heart attacks and other heart problems. The reason they didn’t want patients to know about these risks is that it could harm sales. However, according to a recent report by Bloomberg Business Week, is seems that safety concerns are slowing sales of TRT medications after all.
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