Asbestos Poisoning

Asbestos Exposure - Risks and Dangers

Asbestos Exposure
For decades, people were being subjected to asbestos exposure without realizing the impact it would have on their lives. Asbestos exposure is linked to deadly diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. As a result, asbestos related litigation has been one of the largest challenges to address. Congress has tried to address asbestos exposure lawsuits for the last several years, but has been unable to reach compromise between opposing sides.

Many have criticized asbestos exposure lawsuits, questioning how people continue to suffer asbestos-related illnesses when asbestos use was largely phased out in the 1970s, but there is a long latency period between asbestos exposure and disease onset in many cases. In addition, the use of asbestos was widespread, affecting a high number of workers and their families unknowingly when they brought the asbestos dust home. Entire communities suffered asbestos exposure from mining the naturally occurring mineral fiber.

Symptoms
Individuals who have been exposed (or suspect they have been exposed) to asbestos fibers on the job, through the environment, or at home via a family contact should inform their doctor of their exposure history, whether or not they experience any symptoms. The symptoms of asbestos-related diseases may not become apparent for many decades after exposure. It is particularly important to check with a doctor if any of the following symptoms develop:

• Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness
• A persistent cough that gets worse over time
• Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up
• Pain or tightening in the chest
• Difficulty swallowing
• Swelling of the neck or face
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Fatigue or anemia
• Fever, night sweat

More than 300,000 asbestos-related claims are now pending, according to a RAND Institute study, because of allegations that asbestos exposure resulted in death and illness.

Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer almost always caused by asbestos exposure. Within a year or so of becoming diagnosed, a patient can die from the incurable disease. The 15 to 50 year latency period from asbestos exposure to onset has meant the number of people that will continue being diagnosed with the illness is expected to rise over the next couple decades.

If you, a family member, or friend has suffered Mesothelioma or Lung Cancer, due to exposure to asbestos, there is a chance you qualify for monetary compensation from the manufacturer. Don’t hesitate to seek justice for the damages you or your loved ones have suffered!

Avandia linked to serious side effects!

Before you discontinue use of this or ANY medication you need to consult your Doctor or a Medical Professional, as dangerous side effects are possible with sudden discontinuation of use.

Watch The Avandia Alert From The FDA!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is aware of a potential safety issue related to Avandia (rosiglitazone), a drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Safety data from controlled clinical trials have shown that there is a potentially significant increase in the risk of heart attack and heart-related deaths in patients taking Avandia. However, other published and unpublished data from long-term clinical trials of Avandia, including an interim analysis of data from the RECORD trial (a large, ongoing, randomized open label trial) and unpublished reanalyses of data from DREAM (a previously conducted placebo-controlled, randomized trial) provide contradictory evidence about the risks in patients treated with Avandia.

Patients who are taking Avandia, especially those who are known to have underlying heart disease or who are at high risk of heart attack should talk to their doctor about this new information as they evaluate the available treatment options for their type 2 diabetes.

FDA’s analyses of all available data are ongoing. FDA has not confirmed the clinical significance of the reported increased risk in the context of other studies. Pending questions include whether the other approved treatment from the same class of drugs, pioglitazone, has less, the same or greater risks. Furthermore, there is inherent risk associated with switching patients with diabetes from one treatment to another even in the absence of specific risks associated with particular treatments. For these reasons, FDA is not asking GlaxoSmithKline, the drug’s sponsor, to take any specific action at this time. FDA is providing this emerging information to prescribers so that they, and their patients, can make individualized treatment decisions.

“FDA remains committed to assuring that doctors and patients have the latest information available to make treatment and medication use decisions. In this case, FDA is carefully weighing several complex sources of data, some of which show conflicting results, related to the risk of heart attack and heart-related deaths in patients treated with Avandia,” said Steven Galson, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “We will complete our analyses and make the results available as soon as possible. FDA will take the issue of cardiovascular risk associated with Avandia and other drugs in this class to an Advisory Committee as soon as one can be convened.”

Avandia was approved in 1999 for treatment of type 2 diabetes, a serious and life threatening disease that affects about 18 to 20 million Americans. Diabetes is a leading cause of coronary heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and limb amputation. Since the drug was approved, FDA has been monitoring several heart-related adverse events (e.g., fluid retention, edema and congestive heart failure) based on signals seen in previous controlled clinical trials of Avandia alone and in combination with other drugs, and from postmarketing reports. FDA has updated the product’s labeling on several occasions to reflect these new data, most recently in 2006. The most recent labeling change for Avandia also included a new warning about a potential increase in heart attacks and heart-related chest pain in some individuals using Avandia. This new warning was based on the result of a controlled clinical trial in patients with existing congestive heart failure.

Recently, the manufacturer of Avandia provided FDA with a pooled analysis (meta analysis) of 42 randomized, controlled clinical trials in which Avandia was compared to either placebo or other anti-diabetic therapies in patients with type 2 diabetes. The pooled analysis suggested that patients receiving short-term (most studies were 6-months duration) treatment with Avandia may have a 30-40 percent greater risk of heart attack and other heart-related adverse events than patients treated with placebo or other anti-diabetic therapy. These data, if confirmed, would be of significant concern since patients with diabetes are already at an increased risk of heart disease.

Birth Injuries - Child Injured at birth?

27 OUT OF EVERY 1000 BIRTHS IN THE U.S.A. RESULT IN AN INJURY!

An experienced birth injury attorney should be consulted immediately after birth if your infant has suffered a birth trauma and you suspect those injuries were caused by medical negligence.

Some common types of birth injuries include:

• Skin irritations
• Temporary Paralysis, Fractured Collar Bone, Fractured Arm
• Cerebral Palsy Erb’s Palsy and Brachial Plexus Palsy
• Brain Damage, Traumatic Brain Injury
• Epilepsy, Seizures and Mental Retardation

Unfortunately, doctors and hospitals will almost never admit fault…
Unfortunately, doctors and hospitals will almost never admit fault or offer to pay reasonable damages to cover even the likely economic loss from an injury. A birth injury attorney can help with an appropriate discovery to know whether there is a case or not.

Therefore, it is extremely crucial to consult an experienced birth injury attorney early because records and other information that are important to knowing whether negligence occurred might be lost over time. Frequently hospitals and doctors will destroy or lose records within months of the delivery. Also, important witnesses such as nurses and therapists will forget details or move, making it difficult to recover essential facts. Further, almost any time there is a bad result to a patient, the hospital personnel and doctors will meet with their own lawyers to begin formulating a strategy to defend any potential case. Time is an important ally to both sides.

Deserves a chance to live the best life
If your child or relative has suffered a birth injury, he or she deserves a chance to live the best life possible given the circumstances of the birth. Contact us today to have experienced Birth Injury attorneys contact you in order to help obtain justice and fair compensation for birth injuries.

Byetta linked to Pancreatitis and death

Byetta Linked to Pancreatitis & Deaths
Diabetes drugs are not only necessary for millions of patients, but the market for such medications continues to grow at a rapid pace given the extreme need many people have for any help that can be provided for this condition that’s extremely dangerous if it’s not treated with care and diligence.

Several pharmaceutical giants have entered the fray with diabetes drugs, and one that’s enjoyed a high level of success in the past few years is known as Byetta, which is on the market due to a joint effort between Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co., has recently joined the ranks of medications that have come under fire from the FDA due to increasing reports of serious and potentially life-threatening side effects.

Byetta was originally released onto the market in 2005, and its primary function is to help patients with diabetes manage their condition. It’s administered by injection, and it’s estimated that 700,000 people have made use of Byetta since its release date. From 2005 until sometime in 2007, no serious problems were reported in connection with Byetta. However, that all began to change in October of last year.

Problems Encountered
The FDA initially issued a report in October regarding the reports of 30 patients encountering serious problems with their pancreas. Specifically, the patients developed pancreatitis, and many of them developed an acute level of the condition, thereby placing the patients in immediate danger.

However, the FDA issued another report in recent days that ordered the drug companies involved to formulate and place a more direct and strict warning label on all containers of Byetta due to an additional set of reports of pancreas-related side effects in six more patients, two of whom ultimately died from acute pancreatitis. Symptoms of pancreatitis include nausea, severe abdominal pain and vomiting, all due to the swelling of the pancreas. If this condition is not treated, it can be fatal.

The pancreas needs to function properly in all people, especially diabetes patients, as its mission within the body is to produce hormones and fluids, including insulin, which diabetics lack, thereby creating the need for help in producing and distributing it properly within the body.

Important information for Dialysis Patients

Dialysis Patients Need to Be Aware of Trasylol Dangers
Dialysis patients that have had certain types of heart surgeries may have been exposed to Trasylol, a drug used during heart surgeries to prevent blood loss. The drug has been linked directly to heart attacks and renal failure (kidney failure) during and immediately following the procedures. Many people are unaware of Trasylol being used during surgeries as it is not required for doctors to get patient approval for administering the drug. Watch The Trasylol Alert From The FDA!

Trasylol NEWS: May 15, 2008.
Bayer AG to remove remaining supplies of its heart-surgery anti-bleeding drug Trasylol from the U.S. market.

The Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday Bayer had notified the agency that it would begin removing remaining Trasylol stock from the U.S. market. Access will be limited to investigational use for certain patients who have no acceptable alternatives, the FDA said.
The FDA “supports Bayer’s decision to completely remove Trasylol from regular use in the U.S. market,” the agency said.

What is Trasylol used and prescribed for?
Trasylol is an injection that contains aprotinin, a substance used to prevent bleeding that inactivates a substance in the blood called plasmin during major heart surgeries. Trasylol is used to prevent patients from excessive blood loss during coronary artery bypass graft surgery and cardiac bypass surgery. If there are problems, the Aprotonin Injection (Trasylol) is used to inhibit blood flow from ventricles and major arteries.

Trasylol is primarily used during heart surgeries such as:

• Open Heart Surgery
• CABG surgery (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery)
• Cardiac Bypass Surgery

Tragically, complications from Trasylol can occur during these procedures, leading to dangerous and potentially deadly heart attack symptoms and renal failure (also known as kidney failure) emergencies.
Additionally, Trasylol is used for treatment of the following conditions:

• Bacterial infection of the heart valves and the lining surrounding the heart (bacterial endocarditis)
• Blood loss occurring during an operation
• Life threatening blood loss
• Serious bleeding disorders such as hemophilia
• Severe bleeding due to raised plasmin levels in the blood

While Trasylol was originally considered a vital component of heart bypass and coronary artery bypass graft procedures, recent revelations within the medical community suggest that the drug could have dire consequences for those who have been injected with it during these operations. Some of the more devastating risks of Trasylol usage include both acute renal failure and chronic renal failure and heart attacks or other potentially fatal heart conditions.

Heart Medications Recalled

Heart Medications Recalled. Patients with Renal Failure Need to Take Heed

Heart medications are an essential part of life for millions of people, particularly those who have dealt with heart failure and/or those who suffer from irregular heartbeats. The demand for these medications is at an all-time high, and drug companies are churning out new medications and higher volumes of these medications than ever before.

Unfortunately, a hyper-speed market can lead to problems, and that appears to be the case with one form of heart medication sold under several names, all of which have recently been recalled by the companies responsible. The danger posed by a consistent manufacturing defect is particularly high for those patients with renal failure, and each of the components of this issue is detailed below.

The Drugs
The drugs are sold under different brand names, but they are essentially the same product with a similar active ingredient. They are as follows:

• Digitek
• Bertek
• UDL

The Companies
The companies responsible for either manufacturing these drugs or distributing them appear below:

• Actavis Totowa LLC – Digitek
• Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. – Bertek
• UDL Laboratories, Inc. – UDL

The Problem
While the companies and brand names may be different, the problem is consistent. Essentially, some of the pills that are manufactured are being released with twice the thickness that they should have, which means that unsuspecting patients are taking twice the dose as intended. When this happens, a condition known as digitalis toxicity results, which is presented by symptoms that include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Low Blood Pressure
• Bradycardia

This is an extremely dangerous condition, which is why these drugs are being pulled from the market. If you have suffered as a result of using these drugs, contact a defective drugs attorney immediately.

Health warning for heart Surgery Patients

Health Warning for Heart Surgery Patients and their Families. Legal help for those experiencing complications due to heart surgery. You may be entitled to compensation!

If you’ve undergone or watched someone else undergo major surgery, you realize the seriousness of the situation. One slight error and the consequences could be permanent for the patient. A huge problem for those on the operating table has been the possibility of enormous blood loss; thus, Trasylol was developed and introduced.

Watch The Trasylol Alert From The FDA! Created from a cow lung extract, Trasylol is an amino acid that stops blood from coagulating.

During surgery, many patients are given Trasylol to prevent substantial blood loss. Trasylol slows down fibrinolysis, which can lead to the separation of blood clots. And ideally, Trasylol additionally reduces the need for blood transfusions. However, the drug has recently been linked to such dire side effects as heart attack, stroke, and acute renal failure in patients who had been given Trasylol in good faith by their physicians.

In fact, concerns over Trasylol’s possible defectiveness (and rush to the market without being sufficiently studied) have led a number of individuals to file lawsuits on behalf of themselves or others.

If you or someone you care about was given Trasylol and experienced any of the following side effects, you may be entitled to monetary compensation from Bayer (Trasylol’s maker) for your suffering:

• Kidney problems
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Thrombosis
• Myocardial infarction
• Encephalopathy (Note: Italy withdrew Trasylol from the market over fears of bovine spongiform encephalopathy potential, likely from its cow lung extract connection as noted above)

Trasylol doubles the risk of renal failure and stroke and also increases the risk of heart failure or heart attack by 55%

The Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory on February 9, 2006 to alert doctors to limit the use of Trasylol in patients during coronary artery bypass surgery due to the risk of potentially-fatal kidney trauma. There are a number of less expensive and dangerous generic drugs that could prevent renal failure in 9,000 to 11,000, but Bayer AG maintains that the findings of the FDA and the NEJM do not reflect the 15 years of data collected from their own studies.

If you or someone you love was injured by the severe side effects of Trasylol, you may be entitled to pursue financial compensation for your pain and suffering, but if you wait too long laws called statutes of limitations could prevent you from pressing your case. Let a dedicated and experienced defective drug attorney help you get you the restitution you deserve. Contact a Trasylol lawyer today.

Heparin Product Recall

Anti-Coagulant Injection Products Linked to Side Effects
Patients all over the world need medical care in the form of dialysis for kidneys, IV fluids for many reasons and other types of procedures designed to help them cope with existing problems or even to get past them. One of the challenges that medical professionals have faced when administering this care is preventing the body’s natural reaction to any sort of open wound, which is to immediately manufacture substances that lead to clotting.

Watch The Heparin Alert From The FDA!
Several products on the market have been available to help slow or prevent this clotting in order to promote a more efficient administration of the treatments needed, and according to news published on the FDA’s Web site, a few of these anti-coagulant products and the syringes in which they’re packaged have been recalled due to their link to the development of serious side effects.

Pre-Filled Flushes Recalled
AM2 PAT, Inc. is the manufacturer of both Heparin and Normal Saline pre-filled flushes, and these products are known by the brand names of Sierra Pre-Filled Inc and B. Braun. The products are sold in 3ml and 5ml sizes for Heparin and 3ml, 5ml, and 10ml sizes for Normal Saline. One lot of Heparin IV flush syringes (1003-02, Lot 070926H) was contaminated with Serratia marcescens which has resulted in patient infections. Serratia marcescens is a bacterium that can cause urinary tract infections and even carries a significant mortality rate if it goes undetected.

Baxter Healthcare Corporation
Baxter manufactures and distributes the products generally known as multi-dose and single-use vials of heparin sodium for injection and heparin lock flush solutions. These products have been voluntarily recalled because of the tendency in patients to show several troubling side effects:

• Oral swelling
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Organ failure
• Shock
• Shortness of breath
• Severe hypotension
• Death

Most reported cases have involved an almost immediate development of these side effects, but the FDA, in its announcement of the recall and investigation of the cause of this issue, specifically did not rule out the possibility that these potentially severe side effects could develop at a later time.

If you have suffered because of these injections, contact an attorney immediately.

Lung Cancer Related to Asbestos Exposure

Legal help for those experiencing health complications due to exposure to asbestos. You may be entitled to compensation!

Asbestos Related Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is responsible for over 3 million deaths each year. Symptoms of lung cancer, like other forms of asbestos-related conditions, will not manifest for decades after initial exposure. This delay between exposure and symptom enables the cancer to grow longer without treatment, vastly reducing survival rates.

Facts on Lung Cancer:

• Lung cancer is the most common fatal cancer in both men and women: American Lung Association has estimated five-year survival rate of all patients diagnosed with lung cancer is 15 percent.
• 15 percent of people with lung cancer have never smoked.
• Cases of lung cancer are more common in developed countries. Factors may include levels of air pollution and a sedentary lifestyle.

Asbestos is one of the best known and widely proliferated carcinogens in existence. Exposure to this substance causes a plethora of health problems, including lung cancer. Unfortunately, asbestos-related lung cancer only appears after many years, often without symptoms, and it is not uncommon to suffer multiple asbestos-related afflictions such as mesothelioma and lung cancer simultaneously.

Individuals who have been exposed (or suspect they have been exposed) to asbestos fibers on the job, through the environment, or at home via a family contact should inform their doctor of their exposure history, whether or not they experience any symptoms. The symptoms of asbestos-related diseases may not become apparent for many decades after exposure. It is particularly important to check with a doctor if any of the following symptoms develop:

• Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness
• A persistent cough that gets worse over time
• Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up
• Pain or tightening in the chest
• Difficulty swallowing
• Swelling of the neck or face
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Fatigue or anemia
• Fever, night sweat

Lung cancer is the most common fatal cancer in both men and women: American Lung Association has estimated five-year survival rate of all patients diagnosed with lung cancer is 15 percent.

If you, a family member, or friend has suffered Lung Cancer other asbestos related diseases such as Mesothelioma, due to exposure to asbestos, there is a chance you qualify for monetary compensation. Don’t hesitate to seek justice for the damages you or your loved ones have suffered!

Injured while at sea or on a boat?

Maritime Accidents and Protection from the Jones Act
For many years, workers at sea faced terrible choices if they were injured. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this situation is that working at sea is a dangerous way of life. Workers must be at sea for days or even weeks at a time, and factors that lead to serious injuries include weather, slippery decks, dangerous working conditions caused by extreme fatigue, faulty machinery and even accidents with other vessels.

Traditionally, injured sea workers faced the prospect of filing a workers’ compensation claim and/or a personal injury claim against those responsible for their injuries. However, the biggest problem that arose with this situation was jurisdiction, which often became incredibly complicated and left victims confused and without recovery.

Luckily, Congress ultimately passed a sweeping piece of legislation known as the Jones Act. The Jones Act covers many different aspects of life at sea, but for this situation, it also serves as a shield for injured sea workers who need help. Specifically, the Jones Act protects those injured in the following types of accidents, among others:

• Barge accidents
• Tugboat accidents
• Drilling accidents
• Cruise Ship accidents
• Diving Vessel accidents
• Casino Ship accidents
• Offshore accidents
• Pleasure Craft accidents
• Charter accidents
• Shipping Vessel accidents
• Tanker accidents
• Car Ferry accidents
• Commercial Fishing accidents

If you or someone you love has been injured at sea and are not sure where to turn next, you need to contact a maritime lawyer as soon as possible to begin the process of exploring your rights and legal options under the Jones Act. Your maritime attorney will be able to apply your situation to the law and provide you with guidance in regards to how you should proceed. Contact a maritime lawyer today.

Next Page »