For a heparin lawsuit, contact the Goldwater Law Firm
Chances are you're not aware of every pharmaceutical drug that causes harm to Americans. But you could be aware of problems from contaminated and overdosed heparin, if only because this drug injured the infant offspring of actor Dennis Quaid, the Houston-born star of such films as Traffic, The Rookie, The Day After Tomorrow and The Alamo.The veteran actor and his wife, Kimberly Buffington, were shocked to learn in November of 2007 that their newborn twins had been given 1,000 times more than the common dose of blood thinner heparin at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. This case became big news quickly. The twins survived, but others subjected to too much heparin have not, including three prematurely born babies in Indiana.
Beyond improper labeling and hospital misuse of heparin, the drug that's used to treat blood clotting also has come under fire for being contaminated.
Contaminated heparin has killed many
In 2008, two sources of contaminated heparin were found. One was pre-filled heparin and normal saline IV flush syringes that contained the bacterium Serratia marcescens, which causes infections in patients' bloodstreams. The other contaminated heparin, brought about by the manufacturer substituting a cheap version of heparin's active pharmaceutical ingredient, caused acute allergic reactions and more than 80 deaths in America. This heparin was traced to a manufacturer in China.
The Food and Drug Administration issued recall orders and health warnings, but the damage was done. Recalled were the syringes from AM2PAT Inc. and contaminated lots of heparin from Baxter International. These recalls were not related.
Meanwhile, heparin continues to be used successfully to prevent fatal blood clots, as it has been since the 1930s. An anticoagulant that decreases the body's blood-clotting ability, heparin has been a life saver for many people over the decades.
However, defective heparin can be very harmful, if not fatal. Side effects can range from bruising near the injection site to a fatal allergic reaction.
The Food and Drug Administration issued recall orders and health warnings, but the damage was done. Recalled were the syringes from AM2PAT Inc. and contaminated lots of heparin from Baxter International. These recalls were not related.
Meanwhile, heparin continues to be used successfully to prevent fatal blood clots, as it has been since the 1930s. An anticoagulant that decreases the body's blood-clotting ability, heparin has been a life saver for many people over the decades.
However, defective heparin can be very harmful, if not fatal. Side effects can range from bruising near the injection site to a fatal allergic reaction.
A heparin lawsuit can protect your rights
If you or a loved one has been harmed by heparin, consider protecting yourself financially via a heparin lawsuit. The Goldwater Law Firm can help you launch the process of seeking financial compensation for the damage done to you or your family due to contaminated or overdosed heparin. Submit the free case review form on this Web page and a legal representative will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Taking legal action due to a defective drug or dangerous drug is your legal right. Many Americans have suffered because a manufacturer or hospital was negligent in creating or administering defective drugs or medical devices. Those who are responsible must be held accountable for their negligence, not only in order to secure financial compensation for those who were harmed, but also to send a message to all other pharmaceutical manufacturers and health care professionals that such negligence will not be tolerated.
Taking legal action due to a defective drug or dangerous drug is your legal right. Many Americans have suffered because a manufacturer or hospital was negligent in creating or administering defective drugs or medical devices. Those who are responsible must be held accountable for their negligence, not only in order to secure financial compensation for those who were harmed, but also to send a message to all other pharmaceutical manufacturers and health care professionals that such negligence will not be tolerated.
Quaid himself sued Baxter for its negligence in packaging widely different doses of the heparin sodium injection in similar vials. Also, the hospital was fined $25,000 by California state health regulators.
Alert the Goldwater Law Firm about your heparin lawsuit needs and shift the burden of recovery from your family to your legal representative, who will fight for your financial recovery in the legal arena. Founded in 1996 in Scottsdale, AZ by attorney Robert Goldwater III, the Goldwater Law Firm has helped thousands of people across America with such personal injury legal needs.
Alert the Goldwater Law Firm about your heparin lawsuit needs and shift the burden of recovery from your family to your legal representative, who will fight for your financial recovery in the legal arena. Founded in 1996 in Scottsdale, AZ by attorney Robert Goldwater III, the Goldwater Law Firm has helped thousands of people across America with such personal injury legal needs.
Heparin reactions can range from a bruise to death
Many drugs can give people adverse reactions, but few produce reactions with as great a range as does heparin.
The blood-thinner or anticoagulant known as heparin, which often is administered via injection, can cause the most extreme effect when it's contaminated and spurs an allergic reaction. Such reactions, in fact, can be deadly.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, an acute allergic reaction caused by contaminated heparin can produce an episode of anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction. This is marked by hives or swelling under the skin, especially of the tongue, lips, mouth, throat or eyelids.
Other signs and symptoms suggesting such a reaction are: nausea or vomiting, difficulty swallowing, low blood pressure, generalized or localized sensations of warmth, shortness of breath, and tingling or numbness in the extremities.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, an acute allergic reaction caused by contaminated heparin can produce an episode of anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction. This is marked by hives or swelling under the skin, especially of the tongue, lips, mouth, throat or eyelids.
Other signs and symptoms suggesting such a reaction are: nausea or vomiting, difficulty swallowing, low blood pressure, generalized or localized sensations of warmth, shortness of breath, and tingling or numbness in the extremities.
The Goldwater Law Firm helps heparin victims gain compensation
If heparin causes defective drug harm to you or a loved one, you are entitled to compensation in the legal realm. This may depend on the state in which you live, since laws vary from state to state. But you may be entitled to both compensatory and punitive damages in a personal injury lawsuit such as a heparin lawsuit.Compensatory damages include your financial losses associated with a heparin injury. These losses can include but should not be limited by your loss of present and future wages in a given job, and your ability to earn wages elsewhere. Other significant financial losses can include medical expenses as a result of a heparin injury.
In addition, losses can include current and future pain and suffering; funeral costs; aggravation of a pre-existing condition; mental anguish and emotional distress; cost of household services while recovering; and loss of consortium. The last refers to decreased sexual activities between legally married couples, as well as diminished affection and companionship as a result of an injury.