What to Know Before Filing a PPI Injury Lawsuit
Millions of Americans suffer from acid reflux and heartburn. Medications known as proton pump inhibitors – or PPIs – were designed to reduce stomach acid and prevent these painful conditions. Research now suggests that taking a PPI can cause even more serious health issues, including acute and chronic kidney damage along with certain types of cancers.
Have you developed any adverse health issues while taking a proton pump inhibitor medication? You may have the right to obtain compensation. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to learn about your legal rights and options. Our PPI injury lawyers can help you fight for the money you deserve. Your first consultation is free, so do not hesitate to call us for help today.
Why Are Proton Pump Inhibitors Dangerous?
PPIs limit the amount of acid your stomach can produce. While this stops heartburn and ulcers from developing, it can also put your health at risk. Stomach acid plays a very important role in your health and wellbeing. Acid regulates the bacteria in your stomach and intestines. When acid is suppressed, unhealthy and dangerous bacteria can begin to thrive. This puts you at serious risk of infection, liver damage, and cognitive decline.
PPIs can also cause severe allergic reactions in the body. These allergic reactions can trigger a series of adverse health issues. The most common consequence of an allergic reaction to a proton pump inhibitor is kidney damage. In fact, studies suggest that taking a proton pump inhibitor can increase the risk of kidney damage or disease by 33 percent.
How Did I Get a Dangerous PPI Drug?
It takes an average of 12 years for a prescription drug to get approved by the FDA. During these 12 years, companies are required to perform extensive tests and evaluate a drug’s effectiveness and potential harm to patients. In the grand scheme of things, 12 years isn’t really a very long period of time. It can often take decades to truly understand the impact a drug can have on a patient.
Despite this, new drugs can hit the market without being subjected to exhaustive and lengthy studies. Dangers associated with taking a PPI may not be known until the drug has been prescribed to hundreds of thousands of patients.
Many proton pump inhibitors are now available over-the-counter (OTC). OTC drugs are not always subject to the same testing requirements as prescription medications. As long as an OTC drug meets certain criteria, a company can advertise and sell the drugs without formal FDA approval. Without testing, the dangers of a pharmaceutical cannot be known. This allows potentially-dangerous PPIs to get into the hands of patients like you.
What Should I Know Before I File a PPI Injury Lawsuit?
Proton pump inhibitors are the third most popular prescription medication in the United States. Since PPIs are available by prescription and over-the-counter (OTC), they’re easily accessible. Unfortunately, drug companies have failed to warn PPI users about known health risks. The number of PPI injury lawsuits filed against these drug companies has continued to rise.
You may have the right to file a lawsuit if you’ve been harmed while taking a proton pump inhibitor. Here’s what Rosen Injury Lawyers will work with you to determine.
Which PPI Medications Have You Used?
Heartburn patients can choose between several different prescriptions and OTC PPI medications. Each medication has its own unique formula. Many are manufactured by different drug companies. Rosen Injury Lawyers will help determine which specific PPI medications you’ve taken, and which may have caused your injury.
Popular PPI medications include:
- Prilosec; Prilosec OTC (omeprazole)
- Yosprala (omeprazole and aspirin)
- Nexium; Nexium IV; Nexium 24-Hour (esomeprazole)
- Prevacid; Prevacid IV; Prevacid 24-Hour (lansoprazole)
- Dexilant (dexlansoprazole)
- Aciphex (rabeprazole)
- Protonix (pantoprazole)
- Vimovo (esomeprazole magnesium and naproxin), and
- Zegerid (omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate).
Your medication may have a generic name and a brand name. Pinpointing your specific PPI medication will be important as you pursue compensation.
Does Your PPI Medication Have Known Known Side Effects or Risks?
While PPI medications all aim to do the same thing, they all function in slightly different ways. This is because they’re chemically different. As a result, different PPI medications may be associated with different health risks.
It’s important to learn about the risks that are associated with your PPI medication. These questions can be helpful as you gather information:
- Have other PPI users reported adverse health events to the FDA?
- Do studies show links or correlations between your PPI medication and specific health issues?
Was Your PPI Medication Recalled by the FDA?
Drug companies and the FDA have issued several recalls for PPI medications. A recall is issued when there is evidence to suggest that a medication may be dangerous. This helps to limit the damage a dangerous drug may cause and protect potential patients from harm.
The fact that your PPI medication was recalled doesn’t automatically mean that the drug is defective. Instead, it means that a problem may exist. Once a medication is recalled, the safety issue is investigated by the drug company. In some situations, the FDA will also be involved in the investigation. The results of a safety investigation can be very helpful when you file a PPI injury lawsuit.
You can find out if your PPI medication was recalled by visiting the FDA’s website.
Which Company Manufactured Your PPI Medication?
When you file a PPI injury lawsuit, you’ll have to identify who to blame for your injuries. This will generally be the drug company that designed, manufactured, and/or marketed your PPI medication.
Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture PPIs include:
- AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
- Pfizer
- Merck & Co
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., and
- Aralez Pharmaceuticals.
Tracking down the drug company behind your PPI medication can be difficult. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers for help. Our PPI injury attorneys will review your case and determine which company manufactured the defective drug.
When Did You Discover Your PPI Injury?
When did you first start taking a proton pump inhibitor? When did first notice any unusual side effects or complications? When was the link between your PPI and your health issue first diagnosed?
The answers to these questions will be critical as you begin to pursue compensation from a PPI manufacturer. Why? You will only have a limited time to file a lawsuit once you knew or should have known that you have been injured. You can be prohibited from getting the money you deserve if you don’t file your claim before the statute of limitations that applies to your case expires.
How long will you have to file a PPI injury claim? The answer will depend on the laws of your state. PPI injury cases are considered to be product liability matters. The statute of limitations for product liability matters will likely apply to your case. Most states will require you to file your claim between one and two years after you discover your PPI injury.
It can be difficult to pinpoint the precise date you began to experienced adverse health effects because of your PPI medication. Our experienced PPI injury attorneys can help. Call our law firm today for your free case assessment.
Are You Eligible to File a PPI Injury Lawsuit?
PPIs are used by millions of Americans every year. It’s important to learn about your legal rights and options if you’ve been injured while taking a PPI. You should not hesitate to contact an attorney if you:
- Have suffered from heartburn, ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or other conditions commonly treated using PPIs
- Were prescribed or purchased OTC PPI medication, and
- Developed health issues during the time or after you took a PPI medication.
At Rosen Injury Lawyers, we know how devastating an unexpected injury can be. We’re here to help you if you’ve been harmed by a dangerous PPI medication. Call our attorneys today to learn more about filing a PPI lawsuit.
Contact Our Experienced PPI Injury Attorneys
Proton pump inhibitors can cause serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. The drug company that manufactured your PPI medication should have warned you about potential risks. Having that information could have saved you a lot of pain and suffering. You shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of your injury alone.
Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers for assistance with your PPI injury case. We will fight to hold the drug companies responsible for your injuries. Our goal is to make sure that you are fairly compensated for your injuries. Call to schedule a free consultation with our experienced legal team today.