Columbus Dangerous Medication Lawyers
Persuasive representation when prescription drugs cause injuries or death
Everyone takes various medications during their lifetime. Infants and youngsters need medicines for the flu and childhood diseases. As we age, we use prescription medications for all sorts of disorders, such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, skin disorders, and other medical conditions. The manufacturers of drugs owe a duty of care to consumers to ensure their products are safe. Drugs must comply with FDA regulations and industry standards. Medicine should make your better – not worse.
At Soroka & Associates, our Columbus personal injury lawyers file product liability claims when manufacturers place their profit before your safety. We file wrongful death claims if a loved one died because a dangerous prescription ended their life. We work with medical professionals who understand why certain drugs are dangerous, what warnings should have been provided to consumers, and why the drugs cause victims to need medical care. Our Columbus dangerous medication lawyers are respected by former clients, insurance adjusters, and defense lawyers due to our record of strong jury verdicts and settlements.
How can we help?
- How does the FDA regulate medications?
- What are the requirements for filing a dangerous drug claim in Columbus?
- Do a drugs' side effects affect my claim?
- What types of dangerous medication claims do you handle?
- How much is my Columbus dangerous medication claim worth?
- Do you have a dangerous medication lawyer near me?
How does the FDA regulate medications?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates prescription and non-prescription medication in the United States. The word “drug” is right there in the title of the agency. The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) works to ensure that drugs are safe before they can be manufactured, sold, and marketed.
Drug and pharmaceutical companies are required to submit a “new drug application (NDA) to introduce a new drug product into the U.S. Market.” The company that seeks FDA approval of the drug must test the drug and submit evidence that the drug is effective and safe. CDER employs pharmacologists, chemists, doctors, and other scientists to review the NDA application for approval and proposed labeling for the medication. Medications are also reviewed to determine if their manufacturing practices are safe.
FDA oversight is not foolproof. Many approved drugs later become subject to FDA recalls. Some pharmaceutical companies fail to submit FDA applications and/or fail to respond to FDA recalls and warning letters.
If a drug is defective and the defect causes you injuries or delays or prevents necessary medical treatment, patients have the right to file a product liability claim against the manufacturer and any suppliers.
What are the requirements for filing a dangerous drug claim in Columbus?
Our Columbus product liability lawyers are seasoned personal injury lawyers. We understand the requirements for filing a defective medication claim and what evidence is needed to support your claim. The main requirements are that the drug must be defective and the defect must have caused your injuries or the death of a loved one.
In Ohio, a dangerous drug will be considered defective if the “design, formulation, production, construction, creation, assembly, rebuilding, testing, or marketing of that product” is below acceptable standards. A drug can also be considered defective if the warnings or instructions are improper or the warnings or instructions are missing. For example, a drug that fails to identify possible side effects may be considered defective.
We file claims against the manufacturers of dangerous medications such as pharmaceutical companies. We also file claims against the suppliers who may include distributors and retail companies.
Product liability claims assert that the manufacturers and others are:
- Strictly liable because they made and allowed dangerous drugs to be consumed or used.
- Negligent if they failed to conduct adequate tests, comply with FDA regulations, and comply with industry standards.
- Liable for a breach of an express or implied warranty or representation.
How do the side effects of drugs affect my claim?
Even when drugs are approved by the FDA and manufactured according to safe practices, they still may be dangerous because of a patient’s unique conditions. Almost every drug has some side effects. Almost every drug has some dangerous interactions with other drugs.
However, the FDA does require that all possible side effects be listed on the medications. It may help your case if a manufacturer downplays any serious side effects.
What types of dangerous medication claims do you handle?
At Soroka & Associates, our Columbus dangerous medication lawyers handle most types of dangerous medications. In many cases, a dangerous medication case is part of a larger lawsuit (a mass tort or class action) because hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people may all have been harmed or killed by the same medication.
A starting point for determining whether a drug is considered dangerous is to search whether the drug is on the FDA’s recall list. The FDA database lists the brand name, product description, the reason for the recall, and the manufacturer’s name. We handle drugs that have already been recalled or are currently the subject of lawsuits. Our lawyers also represent patients who suffer from newer drugs that haven’t been subject to any agency or legal action yet.
Some of the many types of dangerous drug cases we handle include:
- Drugs to treat digestive orders. Zantac (Ranitidine) is one example. Zantac may cause different types of cancer such as stomach, pancreatic, and bladder cancer.
- Drugs to treat macular degeneration. Beouvu is an example. An injection of this drug can cause changes in vision, sensitivity to light, blindness, bleeding in your eye, and other disorders.
- Talcum powder. This product is now subject to lawsuits because some products (such as Johnson and Johnson’s talcum powder) are believed to cause ovarian cancer.
- Drugs to treat high blood pressure and other heart problems. One drug, Valsartan, is believed to cause different types of cancer.
- Proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec, are believed to cause kidney disorders.
- Drugs for bladder disorders.
- Drugs to treat diabetes.
How much is my Columbus dangerous medication claim worth?
There are many factors to consider if you are suffering injuries and side effects caused by a dangerous drug. Our lawyers begin by reviewing the injuries you have, what alternative drugs may have worked better, what medical care you now need, and how your injuries are affecting every phase of your life. We detail all your damages, from the date you first started taking the dangerous drug. Many patients need medical help and suffer for the rest of their lives.
We demand the following damages from liable parties:
- All your medical bills including medications, surgeries, doctor visits, rehabilitative care, and medical devices
- All you physical pain and emotional suffering
- Any lost income including income loss due to a disability
- All your human losses such as loss of ability to enjoy life’s pleasures and loss of function of any body part
Many claims do settle. When necessary, we are always ready to try your case before a jury. In egregious cases, such as when a pharmaceutical company lied to obtain FDA approval, we seek punitive damage.
If a loved one died due to a dangerous drug, we file a wrongful death claim.
Do you have a dangerous medication lawyer near me?
The Columbus office of Soroka & Associates is located at 503 South Front Street, Suite 205. We’re easy to find. We do meet patients who are ill or can’t drive at their homes and hospitals when necessary.
Get help now. Contact our Columbus dangerous medication lawyers now
The manufacturers of dangerous drugs can afford to hire, and will hire, some of the best lawyers in the country. You need lawyers on your side who have the experience and resources to fight them. At Soroka & Associates, we work with a network of expert witnesses, drug analysts, and physicians. We understand how to prove your claim and demand all the compensation you deserve. Call us at 614-918-4078 or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We represent medication victims and families on a contingency fee basis.