Articles Posted in Legal News

Note: We have a 2024 update on the Zoloft lawsuits at the bottom of this post.  The rest of the post was written eight years ago in 2015 when there were high hopes for the class action Zoloft lawsuit. 

Depression treatment is essential.  This is especially true during pregnancy.  Untreated depression can have harmful effects on both the mother and the baby.  But we are learning more about the use of antidepressants and the increased risk of problems for the baby.

Zofran Safety Study in 2015

This study supports prior findings that women who use Zoloft during pregnancy are at an increased risk of giving birth to an infant with birth defects that could include severe heart or cranial malformations.

According to findings published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the use of Zoloft may increase the risk of atrial and ventricular defects by more than 30%, and more than double the risk of craniosynostosis. (2023 Update: In fairness, this study has not been replicated and most experts believe Zoloft is safe during pregnancy in 2023.  That does not mean that it is. But it is fair to say that most experts today believe Zoloft is safe for pregnant women.)

Continue reading

Zoloft has been associated with an increased risk of birth defects in infants whose mothers took Zoloft during pregnancy. These Zoloft birth defects run the gambit from minor problems to life-threatening problems that could lead to permanent injury or death.

Zoloft birth defects were filed. So far, every one has failed. This is the story.

An Overview of the Association Between Zoloft and Birth Defects

Over the last 10 years, SSRI’s like Zoloft have been accused by plaintiffs’ lawyers of causing everything from Akathisia to Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. I’m making up the latter, but you get the idea. Zoloft has been a controversial drug with a lawsuit target on its back. Some of these allegations have stuck, others have been thoroughly dismissed, and some we still just don’t know. The evidence of an association between Zoloft and birth defects, however, has been growing at an accelerated rate.

Zoloft (Sertraline) is one of the most prescribed drugs in the world for the treatment of various problems. It belongs to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used to treat several conditions, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Sertraline works by increasing the amounts of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

Back in July 2006, the FDA issued an alert after a study reported that infants born to mothers who took SSRIs after the 20th week of pregnancy were 6 times more likely to have persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) than infants who were born to mothers who did not take antidepressants during their pregnancy. PPHN causes newborns to have increased pressure in the blood vessels in their lungs. As a result, they cannot get enough oxygen into their bloodstream. The risk of a woman having a child with PPHN in the general population is about 1 to 2 infants per 1000 live births.

Continue reading

In 2019 it was discovered that prolonged use of the prescription drug Elmiron can cause a unique type of macular eye damage (pigmentary maculopathy), resulting in vision loss or impairment. This condition involves changes to the macula, the central part of the retina that is responsible for sharp, detailed vision. This led to a growing wave of Elmiron lawsuits by people who suffered vision loss from taking this drug.

The Elmiron lawsuits were consolidated into a class action MDL in federal court in New Jersey. In this post, we will look at how the Elmiron litigation has developed, the most recent events, and discuss what to expect in 2023 in this ongoing mass tort. \

Janssen is settling the pending Elmiron cases in large blocks.

There is a Calico Critters animal toy recall of over 3.3 million toys.  Reports link small bottles and pacifiers included with the toys to the choking deaths of young children.  The Calico Critter toys subject to the recall were sold at Walmart, Meijer and on Amazon between January 2000 and December 2021.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Calico Critters recall yesterday, citing multiple incidents where the small animal toys caused children to choke after placing the small pacifier or bottle in their mouths.

CPSC has received multiple reports of children choking on the Calico Critters accessories, which have caused a range of injuries and health complications. The recall is aimed at preventing further injuries and fatalities related to the toys, and ensuring that parents and caregivers are aware of the risks associated with these small accessories.

Elmiron is a prescription drug used by millions for the treatment of bladder conditions. In 2019, new research revealed that long-term use of Elmiron can cause permanent vision loss. This prompted thousands of Elmiron lawsuits which were consolidated into a class action MDL.

It has now been almost 2 years since the Elmiron class action lawsuit was formed. In this post, we will look at what has been going on in the Elmiron class action recently and speculate on when we could potentially see a global settlement.

About the Elmiron Lawsuits

U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania appointed long time mass tort lawyer Dianne M. Nast of RodaNast in Lancaster, Pa., and Mark P. Robinson Jr. of Robinson Calcagnie Robinson Shapiro Davis in Newport Beach, Calif., as plaintiffs’ co-counsel and as members of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee.

Continue reading

President Obama got 12 stitches after being elbowed in the lip during a basketball game. Who elbows the President of the United States? What an idiot! (Unless, of course, the President tried to drive the lane. In which case, he had it coming.)
I’m bringing a class action against the person who fouled President Obama. I have estimated his time is worth $10 million an hour to the American people. These stitches cost us 45 minutes!

Jury Verdict Research reports that plaintiffs injured by police negligence were awarded damages in 38 percent of police negligence lawsuits. The average jury award in police negligence lawsuits is $1,507,918 (the median is $114,564).

Our lawyers do not handle police negligence or brutality cases. But I pass along this verdict data for lawyers handling police brutality cases and for victims.

Police Negligence Verdicts and Settlements

Contact Information