A “medical food” called Limbrel, which doctors prescribe to treat osteoarthritis of the knee, has been linked to several cases of liver disease in a small study. The effects seem to be rare and easily reversible, but patients should be aware of the potential for harm. The “medical food” is…
Articles Posted in Product Liability
St. Jude Heart Device Maker Fights Back Against Reports Linked to Deaths and Injuries
A problem has developed with the St. Jude implanted heart device: A wire or lead that connects a defibrillator to a patient’s heart has been failing, often with fatal results. The lead, a model called Riata, has been used by more than 128,000 patients worldwide. The electrical wires within the…
U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms $2.1 Million Judgment in Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Case
This case concerned the first of over 500 cases regarding the Wright Medical Conserve “metal-on-metal” hip replacement device designed and manufactured by the defendant. The plaintiff filed a products liability suit alleging, among other things, that the defendant was liable for design defects based on strict liability and negligence. On…
State Supreme Court Reverses for Family of Patient Who Died After Complications from Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System
In this case, a manufacturer, Intuitive Surgical Inc., sold a surgical device, the robotic surgical system, to a hospital, Harrison Medical Center, which credentialed some of its physicians to perform surgery with the device. The surgical device is a robotic surgery tool called the “da Vinci System.” At the trial,…
Warning of Use of Transvaginal Mesh by U.S. Food and Drug Administration
In a recent Journal of the American Medical Association Surgery (JAMA Surgery) article, the safety concerns of the use of the transvaginal mesh in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair has been noted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The recent article by two physicians was published in the Journal…
U.S. District Court Orders Disclosure by Plaintiffs’ Counsel of Pre-deposition Contacts
In Illinois it is well-settled law that prohibits defendants and their lawyers from communicating with treating physicians without the consent of the patient. In this case, plaintiffs sued five pharmaceutical companies in federal court where it was claimed they were injured by testosterone-replacement products. In this multidistrict litigation case, one…
Bair Hugger Blankets Have Caused Serious Infections and Injuries to Patients
Kreisman Law Offices is reviewing and handling lawsuits on behalf of patients who have suffered infections following knee, hip or other joint replacement surgeries. The lawsuits currently in place allege that 3M’s Bair Hugger warming blanket, which is widely used in hospitals across the country, are the cause of devastating…
Actos Trials Under Way in Illinois; Juries in California and Maryland Reach Verdicts
There are more than 2,000 cases filed in the Actos Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) pending before a United States District Court judge in the Western District of Louisiana. The Actos MDL bellwether cases involve identifying two of the best plaintiff cases and a third case selected by the defendant Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Takeda is…
Medical Device Cases Brightened by Recent U.S. Court of Appeals Decision; Stengel v. Medtronic, Inc.
In a 9th Circuit decision handed down in January 2013, the court of appeals found that the Medical Device Amendments (MDA) to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act were not a wedge to prevent a plaintiff from making a state negligence claim against Medtronic. In a series of previous cases…
Study: People with a History of Heart Disease or High Blood Pressure Should Avoid Energy Drinks
A new study shows that energy drinks may increase blood pressure and lead to a dangerously high heartbeat. The study is an analysis of seven previous studies. It showed that these drinks appeared to disturb the heart’s natural rhythm. Over time, the drinks may lead to an irregular heartbeat or…