Individual Medications

Celebrex and Bextra: Celebrex, and the closely related drug Bextra, both generically know as celecoxib, are COX-2 inhibitors in the broader class of agets know as NSAIDS. (see Vioxx) Although supposed to be less harmful to the GI tract, recently they have been associated with increased cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes. To date, Pfizer, the manufacturer of both drugs, has not voluntarily pulled the drugs off the market.

Premarin: Premarin and Prempro, two drugs containing the hormone estrogen, have been associated with negative health consequences that have been known about for years. Evidence is clear that these prescription medicines, and others containing estrogen, can actually harm perfectly healthy women. Women taking estrogen replacement therapy like Premarin and Prempro have a 29 percent higher risk of heart attack, 41 percent higher risk of stroke, and 26 percent higher risk of breast cancer. Prempro was also found to double the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. IF you are a loved one have been injured as a result of taking estrogen replacement therapy please call one of our attorneys immediately to protect your legal rights.

Diet Drugs: Diet drugs offer hope to people struggling with obesity. Unfortunately, many diet drugs have been associated with serious, even fatal, adverse side effects. Diet drugs are often used indiscriminately by individuals wanting to shed a few pounds but are not clinically obese. For both groups of individuals, the costs of using diet drugs may prove to far outweigh the benefits. Below is a list of ome of the more popular weight lass medications that have been associated with adverse side effects. If you, or a loved one, have been injured as a result of taking any of these medications, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights.

Ephedra: Ephedra is a supplement used in many diet formulations, both pills and capsules. Ephedra has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, seizures and deaths. The FDA has repeatedly warned consumers about the dangers of Ephedra. Ephedra is also known as ephedrine an can be found in the herb known as ma huang and is similar to the drug found in the over-the-counter medicine known as pseudoephedrine. Ephedra was banned in 2004, but recently a court has ruled that the ban was an unconstitutional infringement on trade. This court ruling will undoubtedly result in a proliferation in the drugs useage. If you, or a loved one, have been injured as a result of taking the drug Ephedra, immediately contact a personal injury lawyer o protect your legal rights.

Metabolife: Metabolife is a brand name for an over-the-counter weight loss herbal supplement that contains ephedra. There have been reported heart attacks, strokes, seizures and deaths among Metabolife users. The FDA asked the Department of Justice to conduct a criminal investigation of Metabolife International, accusing the company of withholding information about adverse events among Metabolife patients. If you, or a loved one, have been injured as a result of taking the supplement Metabolife, contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights.

Meridia: Meridia, a prescription diet drug used to treat obesity, has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events, including more than 30 deaths. A consumer advocacy group, Public Citizen, petitioned the FDA to withdraw Meridia on March 19, 2002. The FDA said they would take the petition under advisement. If you, or a loved one have been injured, or if you have lost a loved one as a result of taking the medicine Meridia, please contact a personal injury lawyer immediately in order to protect your legal rights.

Fen-Phen: Fen-Phen is a combination of two drugs, fenfluramine (Pondimin) or dexfenfluramine (Redux) and phentermine. This combination was quite successful in thwarting the appetites of users and thus promoting weight loss. However, Fen-Phen ultimately associated with the development of heart valve abnormalities and a life-threatening condition called primary pulmonary hypertension. Pondimin and Redux were both removed from the market in 1997 by the FDA. Phentermin is still available. If you, or a loved one, have been injured as a result of taking Fen-Phen, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights.

Xenadrine: Xenadrine, an over-the-counter diet drug that contains ephedra, has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, seizures and death. If you, or a loved one, have been injured as a result of taking the medicine Xenadrine, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights.

Medical Malpractice: Medical malpractice is a healthcare provider's failure to exercise the degree of care and skill that a healthcare practitioner of the same medical specialty would use under similar circumstances. Medical malpractice is the act in which a doctor, surgeon, or other licensed healthcare provider acts negligently, causing injury or death in a patient. Patients expect a timely diagnosis of a medical problem along with proper treatment and care. In some cases a delay in diagnosis may have serious consequences to the patient and may affect the medical outcome and ultimately the patient's quality of life.

Doctors, and other healthcare providers, are professionals and respected by their communities. It is their duty to safely and correctly treat patients with the patient's best interest and health in mind. Following is a list of medical errors that have resulted in medical malpractice lawsuits:

Every year up to 98,000 people may die in hospitals from medical errors. Healthcare providers, including, doctors, chiropractors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and hospitals need to be held accountable for the pain and suffering that they create after performing medical malpractice or medical negligence. If you, or a loved one, have been injured through the negligence or malpractice of a healthcare provider, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights.

Birth Injuries: Statistics show that approximately 27 out of every 1000 births in the United States results in a birth injury. In California alone, for example, statistically 40 babies a day are born with some type of birth injury. A "birth injury" is defined as any type of damage to an infant's body before, during or just after birth. Complications in the process of pregnancy, labor and delivery can result in a wide variety of complications for a newborn baby. Birth injuries vary greatly from very minor defects to defects so severe as to cause the death of the infant.

Some common types of birth injuries include skin irritations; temporary paralysis; fractured collar bones; fractured arms; Cerebral Palsy; brain damage; and Brachial Plexus Palsy. The most serious birth injuries involve damage to the infant's brain, causing brain damage, traumatic brain injury, seizures and mental retardation. These brain injuries are caused by oxygen deprivation or bleeding inside the brain from trauma during pregnancy, labor or delivery.

If you are the parents of a child that has been injured during the birthing process, please contact a personal injury lawyer immediately to protect your legal rights.

Nursing Home Injury and Abuse: There are approximately thirty-four million people over the age of 65. Nearly one in twenty will require some form of assisted living. Unfortunately, our senior citizens are becoming victims of intentional abuse and neglect within nursing homes and assisted living facilities. While it is difficult enough to place a family member in a home, it is even more difficult to see that family member suffer under the care of an abusive, overburdened, and under trained nursing home staff.

Statistics form The National Center for Elder Abuse show that nearly one million senior citizens are victimized annually. The two most common types of injury include neglect of basic needs and physical abuse by the caregiver. When abuse or neglect occurs in nursing homes and other assisted living facilities, it is often referred to as "institutional abuse." Institutional abuse can come in many forms, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

General neglect of seniors is the most prevalent type of abuse. Neglect is the result of a lack of interest in the well being of the senior citizen. While physical, sexual, and mental abuse are the result of intentional and purposeful acts of the staff, neglect may occur when a caregiver simply does not care. Caregivers neglect their duty when they fail to provide some necessary element for the resident's survival. Such neglect can include anything from failing to provide food & water to not paying the heating bill.

If you have a loved one that has been harmed by neglect or abuse while staying in a nursing home or other institution, please contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights.