Drug Injury

How Do You Know if You Suffered a Drug Injury?

by admin@gotechark.com | October 3rd, 2022

There are few things more distressing to patients than taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication thinking it will help them feel better, only for their health to become worse than before. When that happens, it’s often because the medications they took were defective, mislabeled, or contaminated.

Patients who are harmed by medications that are supposed to be safe are often eligible to seek compensation through drug injury lawsuits, but it can be difficult to tell the difference between a drug injury and a side effect. If you suspect you or someone you love is a drug injury victim, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Has the drug been recalled? When drugs are recalled because of defects and after causing new injuries or illness, there’s a good chance the patients who experienced bad outcomes suffered drug injuries.
  • Was the bad outcome a known possibility? Some drugs have the potential to cause serious complications, but the manufacturers know about these side effects and publicize them. When drug manufacturers either don’t know about adverse effects or hide them, harmed patients may be eligible for drug injury compensation.
  • Was the complication severe? Minor side effects or complications, even when they aren’t publicized or noted, may not result in patients being eligible for compensation. Most drug injury lawsuits involve serious injuries or illnesses that are caused by defective or dangerous medications.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we work hard to help drug injury victims get maximum compensation. Contact our Virginia drug injury lawyers for a free consultation if you suspect that you or a loved one were harmed by a dangerous medication.

We Aren’t Afraid to Go Up Against Big Pharmaceutical Companies

by admin@gotechark.com | May 30th, 2022

Prescription drugs are supposed to make you feel better by managing your symptoms or even treating the root cause of your illness. But like all products, prescription drugs can put users in danger because of several reasons, including:

  • Design flaws—Sometimes, prescription drugs are developed and designed in a way where they are inherently flawed and dangerous to the patients who take them.
  • Manufacturing flaws—In other cases, prescription drugs are safe to take, but become dangerous when they are manufactured in a manner that causes them to be tainted or contaminated.
  • Packaging flaws—Some patients have been injured by medications because they got the wrong drugs or the wrong dosages due to packing flaws and labeling errors.

When the liability for these errors falls at the feet of big pharmaceutical companies, many injured patients may feel discouraged. The thought of going up against a multi-billion-dollar corporation may seem hopeless, and they may give up on trying to get compensation.

But at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we never back down from a challenge. Whether we’re going up against a small-town insurance company or a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, we work with one goal in mind: getting fair compensation for our clients.

Contact our Virginia drug injury lawyers today for a free consultation if you or someone you love was harmed by a prescription or over-the-counter drug. We believe that patients should never be hurt by medications that were supposed to help them, and we hold negligent drug companies accountable when it happens.

Who Can You Sue After a Drug Injury?

by admin@gotechark.com | December 20th, 2021

The last thing you expect to happen after taking a prescription drug is getting worse or even developing new health problems. But that’s an unfortunate reality for many Americans every year.

And while many drug injuries are because drugs are inherently dangerous, there are other factors at play in these situations as well. And because other parties are liable for those factors, that means victims can sue different people and parties after drug injuries.

Potentially liable parties after drug injuries include:

  • Pharmaceutical companies

Drug companies are responsible for designing drugs that are safe and effective and then properly testing them before releasing them to the market. They must also disclose all side effects and adverse events while seeking approval. Unfortunately, some drug companies hide that information to help their drugs make it to market.

  • Doctors

Doctors are responsible for quickly and accurately diagnosing and treating their patients, and that includes prescribing them the right medication. But it’s not enough to pick the right medication—it must also be the right dosage and avoid possible interactions with other drugs patients are taking.

  • Pharmacies

Pharmacies are responsible for filling prescriptions written by doctors, and they must do so accurately. When pharmacies give patients the wrong dosage or even the wrong medication altogether, not only can those patients quickly get worse, but they may develop unnecessary side effects, complications, and injuries.

If you suspect that you or someone you love suffered a drug injury because of someone’s negligence, we’re here to help. Contact the Virginia drug injury attorneys at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.

Are Potentially Harmful Drugs Still on the Market?

by admin@gotechark.com | October 4th, 2021

There have been many recalled drugs in recent years. When major prescription and over-the-counter medications get recalled, it often makes headlines in the national news. That can lead many people to assume that the drugs that are still on the market are 100% safe. However, that’s not always the case.

In some cases, dangerous drugs stick around on the market for years or even decades before enough evidence piles up showing the risks they pose to patients that their manufacturers or the FDA initiates a recall. In other cases, the drugs are never recalled and they continue to harm patients year after year, decade after decade.

Because not all dangerous drugs are recalled or publicized, it can be difficult for people who suspect they’ve been harmed by one to reach out for help. They may not know where to turn or whether their cases will be taken seriously. At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia drug injury lawyers are here to listen to ALL stories involving illnesses or injuries caused by medications.

We know that most people aren’t aware of the risks the medications they take pose to them, especially when the manufacturers don’t disclose that information to them or their doctors. But our legal team keeps a close eye on the pharmaceutical injury, and we go to work right away when we learn that drugs may be harming innocent patients.

Contact us today for a free consultation if you suspect you or a loved one were harmed by a medication. We’ll determine exactly what happened, and if your health problems were caused by the drug, we’ll work hard to get you compensation.

Can You Get Compensation if a Non-Recalled Drug Hurt You?

by admin@gotechark.com | July 5th, 2021

Many of the drugs involved in drug injury lawsuits have been recalled by their manufacturers. Although that move is coordinated by their manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to protect the public, it can also open the floodgates for lawsuits, as it can be construed as the drug company admitting that the medication is dangerous.

But what happens if you get seriously injured or sick after taking a medication that isn’t recalled? Can you still file an injury claim against its manufacturer? The answer is yes, but doing so requires the experience and resources of a law firm even more than when the drug has already been recalled.

In some cases, many drug injury lawsuits are filed around the same time, which can prompt drug manufacturers to recall their medications. In situations like this, there is strength in numbers, whether the lawsuits are filed individually or as a class-action lawsuit. But successful claims don’t require similar claims being filed against manufacturers.

Each case is unique, and if it can be proven that a drug manufacturer knew or should have known of potential dangers but didn’t properly warn patients, doctors, and pharmacies, they can be held liable for any injuries and illnesses that occur.

If you or someone you love was harmed by a prescription or over-the-counter drug, our Virginia drug injury lawyers want to know your story. We’ll collect evidence that proves your health problems were caused by the medication you took, and we’ll work hard to get you full compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Can Supplement Manufacturers Be Held Liable for Injuries?

by admin@gotechark.com | April 26th, 2021

The dietary supplement industry is huge in the U.S. Americans spend billions of dollars every year on vitamins, minerals, and other supplements that promise to improve health and well-being. However, dietary supplements aren’t approved or tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means they end up on store shelves without undergoing any rigorous testing.

It’s no surprise that many dietary supplements end up being recalled by the FDA or their manufacturers after it’s discovered that they are contaminated with foreign substances, contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients, or pose serious threats to patients’ health. But when that happens, can the people who take those supplements and are harmed by them sue their manufacturers?

Yes—people harmed by dietary supplements can sue for any damages they incur as a result of using those products. Although these products don’t require FDA approval to be stocked on pharmacy or health store shelves, they are required to be safe for usage. When they aren’t, the manufacturers can and should be held liable, the same way that the manufacturers of defective consumer products can and should be held liable when their products harm innocent people.

However, getting compensation from a dietary supplement manufacturer isn’t always easy. Many of them are based in other countries, or they may be uncooperative and unresponsive to injury and illness claims. That’s why having an experienced Virginia drug injury lawyer on your side is so important.

Contact the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation if you or someone you love was harmed by a defective and dangerous dietary supplement. We want to help you get the money you’re owed.

Can You Sue Your Doctor for a Prescription Drug Injury?

by admin@gotechark.com | February 22nd, 2021

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we help people harmed by defective and dangerous prescription and over-the-counter medications get compensation by filing claims against their manufacturers. But sometimes, people get seriously injured by drugs that aren’t considered defective or dangerous. When that happens, victims may be able to file claims against their doctors via medical malpractice lawsuits.

Only doctors and a few other medical personnel can write prescriptions. When they do so, they must pay close attention to their patients’ conditions, weight, and other medications and supplements that they take. All of those factors play a major role in determining both how safe and effective their prescribed medications will be when they take them.

Unfortunately, healthcare providers don’t always take the necessary precautions and required steps when prescribing medications. That can put their patients’ health and even their lives in danger. And when their oversight results in a serious injury, illness, or death, those providers can and should be held liable for the losses that their patients and their patients’ families endure.

Medical malpractice claims aren’t easy to win, and they require the assistance of experienced Virginia medical malpractice lawyers. Our legal team has built many medical malpractice claims for injured victims throughout the state, and we know what it takes to win.

If you or someone you love was harmed by a prescription medication error, contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll collect proof that shows your doctor failed to take the necessary precautions and demand full compensation for you and your loved ones.

Did You Suffer a Drug Injury or Just a Side Effect?

by admin@gotechark.com | October 26th, 2020

All medications have side effects. And some of those side effects can be severe. For example, some people may get one or many common side effects when taking a medication, but in much more severe forms than other people, including:

  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Headache
  • And more

Regardless of their severity, side effects are considered normal outcomes and accepted risks associated with taking particular medications. That’s because the manufacturers of those drugs were aware of those side effects based on evidence when developing the medications. In addition, the manufacturers alerted the FDA, doctors, pharmacies, and patients of those potential side effects.

Drug injuries, on the other hand, typically aren’t publicized, even when the drug manufacturers know that they’re possibilities in people who take their medications. In fact, they’re often hidden from the public in an effort to get their drugs onto pharmacy shelves and ensure that doctors continue to prescribe them.

If you took a medication and experienced severe health problems, worsening of your illness, or a life-threatening emergency that wasn’t publicized by the manufacturer, there’s a good chance you suffered a drug injury. Unfortunately, many potentially dangerous drugs are still on the market in the U.S. Recalls happen every year, but it can take a long time for the FDA to discover that drugs are dangerous to patients and recommend or enforce recalls.

The Virginia drug injury lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers know the differences between side effects and drug injuries, and we help victims of the latter get compensation. Call us today for a free consultation.

3 Steps to Take if You Suspect You’ve Suffered a Drug Injury

by admin@gotechark.com | August 31st, 2020

When you take a medication, you expect to feel better. But many Virginians not only feel worse after taking a medication, they even develop new health problems and complications that go far beyond the reported side effects their doctors or pharmacists told them about. When that happens, there’s a good chance those people suffered drug injuries.

If you take a medication, whether it’s prescription or over-the-counter, it’s important to keep a close eye on your health and how you’re feeling. If you suspect you’ve suffered a drug injury, taking these three steps can protect your health and your rights to compensation:

  1. Call 911 if it’s an emergency—Many drug injuries develop slowly, but some can produce nearly immediate complications. If you notice signs such as severe bleeding, confusion, extreme nausea and vomiting, or loss of consciousness, call 911 or seek medical attention right away. Some drug injuries can be life-threatening emergencies.
  2. Ask your doctor what to do—Whether the drug injury was an emergency or not, it’s important to speak with your doctor right away about your next steps. Never stop taking a medication without talking to your doctor about your options first.
  3. Call an experienced lawyer—Drug injuries are often caused by dangerous medications. And medications can be considered dangerous when manufacturers fail to design them properly, oversee the manufacturing process, or ensure that they are labeled accurately.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, it’s our goal to help people injured by others’ negligence, and that includes assisting those hurt by big, billion-dollar pharmaceutical companies. Call today to speak with our Virginia drug injury lawyers.

Take Medications? Keep Tabs on Their Recall Status.

by admin@gotechark.com | May 26th, 2020

All consumer products, whether it’s food, vehicles and their components, household products, and pharmaceutical medications, are supposed to be thoroughly tested and proven to be safe. And while most products that are sold to consumers meet all safety criteria, some don’t—including potentially life-saving prescription drugs.

When medications are defective, patients can experience severe side effects and complications. Unfortunately, patients aren’t always aware of recalls until weeks or months after they occur, especially if they receive large amounts of pills or tablets and don’t need refills for long periods of time.

While your doctor or pharmacist should contact you when a drug recall occurs, that may not always happen in a timely fashion or at all. Thankfully, there’s an easy way for people to keep tabs on the status of prescription medications: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s drug recall database.

In addition to listing the dates, names, and reasons of recently recalled medications, the database also includes a search function. That makes it easy to look up any medications you’re taking to determine if they may pose an unnecessary risk to your health.

If you find out that any medications you’re taking are recalled, never stop taking them without first speaking to your doctor. Many recalls are issued due to minor problems with labels or packaging, and even more serious recalls should be handled carefully under your doctor’s supervision.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia drug injury attorneys work hard to help people who were harmed by dangerous drugs. If you or someone you love had a bad outcome after taking a recalled medication, contact us today for a free consultation.