On April 1, 2020, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that all ranitidine products were being removed from the market. This is a drug that was available both in prescription form and over-the-counter, and it was used to treat and prevent heartburn, along with other conditions. It was commonly sold under the brand name Zantac. In addition to addressing problems with heartburn, this medication was also used to treat and prevent ulcers.

This product has been removed from the market because of the presence of a probable human carcinogen present in the medication. In simple terms: the FDA is concerned about Zantac’s cancer risk and other potentially serious complications.

If you or a loved one used Zantac regularly and have since been diagnosed with cancer, please contact Rosen Injury Lawyers today. Our Zantac injury lawyers will be happy to offer you a free case consultation to go over the details of your situation and determine how you may wish to proceed. We look forward to serving you in this important matter.

Should I Work with a Zantac Lawyer?

If you are thinking of filing a Zantac lawsuit, or if you would just like more information so you can make an informed decision, one of the first steps is to contact a Zantac attorney for assistance. Most firms, including Rosen Injury Lawyers, will offer you a free consultation to get started, so you don’t need to spend any money to learn more about your options.

It’s important to get legal guidance in this matter because it is such a complicated and high-stakes situation. Zantac is a drug that has been on the market for many years and has been used by millions. Now that it has been removed from the market, many are wondering if their cancer diagnosis is related in some way to their use of this drug.

Connecting those dots is a complicated task, as is the process required to file suit in this kind of case. With Rosen Injury Lawyers on your side, you can take the confusion out of this situation so you can focus on getting the damages that you deserve.

Some of what we can offer in this case includes the following:

Research and Collecting Evidence

We will need to make a strong case on your behalf, so we’ll get started right away gathering as much evidence as possible. Specifically, we need to be able to prove that you or a loved one did use Zantac for a period of time prior to developing cancer. That may mean tracking down prescription records or working with pharmacies to gather information.

Managing Negotiations

As this process begins to play out in the courts, it’s possible that you will be approached by an insurance company regarding a potential settlement. We will negotiate on your behalf to make sure you don’t settle this case for even a penny less than what it is worth.

Answering Your Questions

These kinds of complex legal cases take time to work their way through the courts, and you are sure to have plenty of questions along the way. Our team will be there to guide you and help you to understand the process.

Don’t wait around while you consider whether or not to take action on a Zantac lawsuit. Instead, get started today by asking Rosen Injury Lawyers for a free case review. After that quick review, you will have a much better understanding of this situation and how to best move forward.

Why Was Zantac Taken Off the Market?

It’s not often that such a prominent, well-known drug is taken off the market by the FDA. In the case of Zantac, this was a drug that had been used by millions of people to treat a relatively common condition. As a result, the news that the drug was unsafe and was being removed from the market made big headlines.

The underlying culprit here is a contaminant called nitrosodimethylamine (“NDMA”), which stands for N-Nitrosodimethylamine. This containment was found in ranitidine in quantities deemed too high to be safe by the FDA. According to the World Health Organization (“WHO”), NDMA is a probable human carcinogen and the levels of this containment in the medication seem to rise based on storage conditions.

Can You Pursue a Zantac Lawsuit?

Thinking about taking legal action in such a big case can be daunting. After all, the news of ranitidine being taken off the market made international headlines, so this is a matter that is going to affect countless people. If you would like to consider your legal options, don’t be overwhelmed by the size of the pharmaceutical companies involved – simply reach out to Rosen Injury Lawyers right away for assistance.

A key element to this potential lawsuit is whether or not you or a family member has been diagnosed with a cancer that could be linked to the use of Zantac. While there are many possibilities here, some of the cancers in question include:

Don’t get bogged down in the details of this case before you contact Rosen Injury Lawyers for help. Even if you aren’t sure about your case and whether or not it will be viable, get in touch with our team to get started. It will cost you nothing but a few moments of your time to go over the situation with us so you can make an informed decision regarding how to move forward.

Are the Zantac Lawsuits a Class-Action?

No. Each lawsuit filed related to NDMA in Zantac is an individual claim as opposed to a class-action suit. If you decide to file suit as a result of your injuries, that suit will stand on its own rather than being lumped into a larger group for a class-action proceeding.

With that said, there will be a framework established that Zantac cases can follow. This is the result of multidistrict litigation (MDL) that is already underway. The multidistrict proceeding, which is currently before a federal judge in the Southern District of Florida, will set the stage for some Zantac lawsuits to be heard in court. From there, the outcomes of those early cases (“bellwether trials”) will help guide settlement negotiations for other filings to come.

You don’t need to worry about being lumped into a huge class-action process if you decide to file suit in this matter. The case you file will be separate and will be considered on its own merits, with guidance from the results of the MDL.

The legal details of this kind of large-scale matter can be overwhelming to someone without experience in this field. That’s why we are here to help. Our team would be proud to stand up for your rights in this case, and we’ll help you understand each step along the way.

How Much is a Zantac Lawsuit Worth?

It is not yet known what the value of damages may be in a successful Zantac lawsuit. There have not been any notable settlements of verdicts handed down as of this point. As a result, no precedent has been established, and it is yet to be seen how much will be available to victims who have been harmed by this drug.

With that said, there are a variety of types of damages that may be made available as this plays out in the legal system.

Some of the damages that may be on the table include the following:

Medical Bills

If you have developed cancer after taking Zantac and required medical treatment as a result, you may have accumulated significant medical bills during that care. It’s possible that your medical bills could be included in the damages received as part of a settlement or successful lawsuit. You shouldn’t have to bear the financial burden of dealing with these large bills when someone else is to blame for your illness.

Lost Wages

Another common type of damages in a personal injury case is lost wages. When you can’t work because you are being treated for an illness, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with your financial life. Pursuing damages for lost wages is another way you can seek to get back on your feet.

Pain and Suffering

There are few things you can face in life which are as intimidating as a cancer diagnosis. This is something you didn’t expect to face, especially when it may have been the result of something as simple as taking a heartburn medication.

If it is determined that your pain and suffering are the responsibility of another party, that party should be held responsible. Damages in this category can vary wildly from case to case, so working with an experienced attorney is the best way to put a value on what has been lost.

Wrongful Death

If you have lost a family member to cancer and believe that their use of Zantac could be related, consider taking legal action on their behalf. There is tremendous pain associated with losing a loved one in this manner, and there may be practical issues as well, such as the loss of an income.

Damages could be available as a result of this wrongful death, so don’t hesitate to stand up for justice. Monetary damages are not going to undo your suffering, of course, but they can help to rebuild a life for your family moving forward.

Punitive Damages

It’s also possible that punitive damages could be made available in this type of case. These kinds of damages are designed to discourage this kind of action from being taken again in the future – either by the same defendant or by another party.

For a business, knowing that significant punitive damages could be awarded in a civil case may be enough to discourage them from taking unnecessary risks. As a victim, the award of punitive damages can significantly add to what you receive when the case is complete.

At Rosen Injury Lawyers, our focus is always on one thing – justice for our clients. We understand the impact that this event has had on your life, and we take our responsibility seriously when we stand up for your rights. Getting started with a free case review is the best way to learn about what we can offer in this matter.

Act Quickly to Start a Zantac Lawsuit

You may only have a limited amount of time remaining to file legal action related to your use of Zantac. Depending on the details of when you were diagnosed with cancer after using this drug, your time may be running out.

Since it will cost you nothing to reach out to Rosen Injury Lawyers for more information, the time to get started is now. Give our law firm a call today to discuss your case. If you decide to move forward with legal action, we can assist you to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible.

You don’t want to lose out on the opportunity to seek justice and get the damages you deserve just because it took too long to bring your case to the courts.

How Did Zantac Become Contaminated?

It is not known exactly how ranitidine became contaminated with NDMA. This is a potentially dangerous contaminant that is used to intentionally cause cancer in lab rats for testing. It has been shown that NDMA can be created when ranitidine comes into contact with water.

A key element of this case is the way Zantac is stored prior to being consumed. The FDA found that Zantac stored at a temperature above room temperature can develop levels of NDMA that are deemed to be unsafe. Also, the levels of NDMA seem to increase over time, so medication that has been stored for some time is likely to contain more of this dangerous compound.

So, is it safe to consume any Zantac you have left if you have been storing it at a cool temperature and it is not too old? No. All remaining Zantac should be disposed of in an appropriate manner. Even if the medication has not been stored in a warm environment in your home, you don’t know how it was stored prior to you taking possession of the drug. It may have been stored for some time at a high temperature before it was sold to you.

There are other heartburn medication options on the market today that have not been found to contain NDMA. If you had been taking a Zantac prescription, speak with your doctor about alternatives.

Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to Learn More About Zantac Lawsuits

We hope this page has answered some of your basic questions regarding legal action related to the medication ranitidine, which was commonly sold under the brand name Zantac. This drug has been removed from the market, but that doesn’t mean you need to struggle with the aftermath alone.

If you or a loved one had been taking Zantac or other ranitidine medications and later developed cancer, we would love to speak with you regarding this situation.

As an experienced team of mass tort injury lawyers, we have the knowledge necessary to go to work for you on such an important matter. If you are considering a Zantac lawsuit and you would like to learn more about your legal options and pursuing damages, contact us today to get started.