Baltimore, Maryland
The Yost Legal Group in Baltimore, Maryland is a multi – service personal injury law firm focusing on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.
April 26th, 2012
Terbutaline, also called Brethine, is an asthma drug that is commonly prescribed “off label” to women in order to stop contractions occurring during premature labor. Approximately 20% of all pregnant women in the United States experience pre-term labor and as a result, Terbutaline has been prescribed to more than one million women to alleviate this condition.
The FDA never approved Terbutaline for use in managing pre-term labor and over the years, Terbutaline use during pregnancy has been associated with infant brain damage and cognitive issues that persist into adolescence and adulthood. There is also evidence that Terbutaline may result in heart palpitations and pulmonary edema in pregnant women who take the drug.
Children born to mothers taking Terbutaline during pregnancy may experience the following side effects:
- Autism
- Birth defects
- Brain damage
- Movement disorders involving the central nervous system, nerves, and muscles
- Speech issues including problems with articulation, stuttering, voice disorders, delayed speech, and aphasia
The FDA recently placed a “black box” warning on Terbutaline due to the potential harm caused to pregnant mothers and their unborn babies. This is the strongest warning issued by the FDA.
If you or your child has suffered an injury from taking Terbutaline to manage pre-term labor, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your damages. The pharmaceutical injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group will provide you with highly personalized representation through every step of the process and fight aggressively to ensure your rights are protected.
Please contact The Yost Legal Group today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients in Baltimore, Maryland.
Posted in Birth Defect, Defective Products | Comments Off
April 23rd, 2012
Topomax is a popular anticonvulsant drug prescribed to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches. Recently, there has been growing evidence indicating that Topomax increases the risk of cleft lip and cleft palate birth defects when taken by women during the first trimester of pregnancy. Babies born with these defects have a gap in their lip or palate, resulting in potentially serious infections, speech issues, and difficulty chewing.
Based on data obtained from the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reclassified Topamax in March 2011, moving it from a Pregnancy Category C drug to a more serious Category D drug. A Pregnancy Category D drug indicates a risk posed to an unborn baby and requires a stronger warning label.
The NAAED Pregnancy Registry data found and increased risk of:
- Cleft lip and cleft palate defects
- Genital deformities
- Fetal and skeletal deformities
According to the study, babies born to women taking Topamax during their first trimester had a cleft lip or palate 1.4% of the time compared to a .33-.55% rate for babies born to women taking other epilepsy drugs. Furthermore, a 2008 study published in the medical journal Neurology indicated that babies born to women taking Topamax early in their pregnancy were 11 times more likely have cleft lip or cleft palate defect and 14 times more likely to have a genital defect.
If your consumption of Topamax during pregnancy resulted in a birth defect for your child, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your damages. The pharmaceutical injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group have been fighting for the rights of drug injury victims in the Baltimore area since 1988. We will aggressively pursue your claim every step of the way to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Please contact our pharmaceutical injury lawyers today to schedule your free initial consultation with The Yost Legal Group, serving clients in Baltimore, Maryland.
Posted in Birth Defect | Comments Off
April 19th, 2012
In late July of 2008, Zimmer Inc. issued a recall of their prosthetic hip implant, the Zimmer Durom Cup. Released in 2006, this defective medical device was implanted into an estimated 12,000 patients after an aggressive marketing campaign from Zimmer. In this campaign, Zimmer claimed that the Durom Cup would significantly reduce both surgical and recovery times. Unfortunately, it also resulted in an increased risk for hip implant failure, and has been the source of a number of lawsuits in the following years.
Hip implant surgery is usually a last resort for physicians. Used only after physical therapy and other treatments have failed, hip replacement has been effective in restoring strength and mobility to millions of Americans.
Many people who have had the Zimmer Durmon Cup placed have experienced serious pain, difficulties walking, bone fractures, and implant dislocation. This has resulted in additional surgeries and a diminished quality of life for several people who trusted Zimmer Inc. to provide a suitable hip implant.
The Durom Cup was rushed to market in an attempt to increase profit shares. Zimmer has a responsibility to provide safe, effective products to their customers. Their failure to do so may entitle you to compensation. The Baltimore defective medical device lawyers at the Yost Legal Group will proved you with aggressive representation in order to hold this negligent medical device manufacturer responsible for your damages.
If you have suffered an injury from a Zimmer Durom Cup implant in or around Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the Yost Legal Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Posted in Defective Products | Comments Off
April 16th, 2012
Accutane is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for treatment-resistant, severe acne. Side effects of Accutane include itchy skin and eyes, nose bleeding, dry lips, and even muscle pain, but many women find the short period of 12 to 15 weeks of treatment worth the risk.
However, the medication from Accutane stays in your body for up to two months after treatment, and many women are not aware that, in addition to personal side effects, Accutane can cause birth defects in developing fetuses.
Potential birth defects from Accutane include:
- Visual impairment
- Hearing impairment
- Facial deformities including missing earlobes
- Heart defects
- Endocrine and nervous system malformations
- Mental retardation
It is entirely possible that you were not made completely aware of Accutane’s potential to cause birth defects. If this is the case, and your child was born with a defect, you may have cause to file a lawsuit, and receive compensation for your damages.
If you took Accutane during your pregnancy and your child was born with a birth defect in or around Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the Yost Legal Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Posted in Birth Defect | Comments Off
April 12th, 2012
Hip implant surgery has been proven to be an effective way to restore mobility and function to patients suffering from diminished capacity for several years. Hip implant surgery is time consuming, and the recovery process can be long, but with an 80 percent success rate, many people found this worth the wait.
When Zimmer Inc., a manufacturer of hip implants, reported that their latest innovation would significantly decrease surgical and recovery times, many doctors and patients eagerly accepted their word. Sadly, the Zimmer hip implant turned out to be an aggressively marketed defective medical device that has resulted in implant failure and repeated surgeries for many of those who received it.
Symptoms of a failed hip implant may include:
- Hip, thigh, or groin pain
- Pain when rising from a seated position
- Pain when walking
- Dislocation or loosening of the implant
- Bone fracture
If you have had a Zimmer hip implant placed and are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may have right to seek legal assistance to recover compensation for all of your damages. The experienced defective medical device lawyers at the Yost Legal Group will aggressively fight for your rights to ensure the injustice done to you gets corrected.
If you have experienced hip implant failure in or around Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the defective medical device attorneys at the Yost Legal Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
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April 9th, 2012
Crestor is a type of cholesterol lowering medication that is currently in use by millions of Americans. Crestor belongs to a group of drugs called statins, which are generally considered safe and effective at helping people control their cholesterol. However, as early as 2003 the FDA became aware that among this group of medications, Crestor is unique in providing a serious risk for several medical complications.
Crestor is a dangerous drug which has numerous side effects. One of these side effects is Rhabdomyolysis, a muscle-depleting disorder that can affect large masses, or specific clusters of muscles. One of the muscles at risk from Rhabdomyolysis is your body’s most important muscle: the heart.
Crestor works to unclog arteries and lower cholesterol, but in the process it can replace cholesterol with this much more serious disease. Rhabdomyolysis has been linked to fatigue, heart attack and stroke, and may pose life threatening consequences to those who suffer from it.
AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of Crestor, aggressively marketed the drug claiming that its increased levels of rosuvastatin would more effectively lower cholesterol. Not only has this been disproven by peer reviewed studies, but this increased level of rosuvastatin may actually be deadly. Even with this knowledge, AstraZeneca has continued to manufacture and push Crestor, often to the detriment of those who take it.
Drug companies have a responsibility to produce and distribute safe and effective drugs. When they fail to do so, and you suffer as a result, they need to be held accountable for their negligence. The Baltimore pharmaceutical injury lawyers at the Yost Legal Group will fight aggressively to hold the negligent drug manufacturer accountable for your damages.
If you or a loved one has suffered heart failure after taking Crestor in or around Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the attorneys at the Yost Legal Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Posted in Defective Products | Comments Off
April 5th, 2012
Many medications are linked to birth defects. Among these is Depakote, a prescription medication that like Paxil and Zoloft, is used to treat manic depression. Unfortunately, Depakote has been linked to birth defects when used by pregnant women.
In 2009, the FDA sent warnings to healthcare professionals letting them know that significant research indicated Depakote was dangerous for pregnant women. In fact, research had found that women who used Depakote had a 1 in 20 chance of having a child with a neuro tube defect, compared to a 1 in 500 chance for women not taking the drug. In addition to neuro tube defects, Depakote has been linked to birth defects such as:
- Heart deformations
- Facial dimorphism
- Limb reduction
- Skeletal defects
- Spinal bifida
- Cleft palate
- Hypospadias
Despite these concerns, many health care practitioners have failed to properly warn pregnant women of these potential issues. This is simply unacceptable.
The manufacturers and distributors of prescription medications have a responsibility to warn patients of potential complications and risks. When they fail to do so, and injury is the result, you have a right to seek full compensation for all of the damages you suffer. The Baltimore pharmaceutical injury lawyers at the Yost Legal Group have the skills necessary to battle the high powered legal teams employed by drug manufacturers, and we will fight aggressively to ensure your rights are fully protected.
If you live in or around Baltimore, Maryland and you suspect Depakote is responsible for your child’s birth defects, please contact the Yost Legal Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Posted in Birth Defect | Comments Off
April 2nd, 2012
The symptoms of acetaminophen poisoning are generally apparent within 12 to 24 hours of accidental overdose. These symptoms are generally severe nausea followed by vomiting or diarrhea. If acetaminophen poisoning is not treated within the first 48 to 72 hours, it can lead to liver damage resulting in death. Acetaminophen poisoning may entitle you to compensation under a defective drug lawsuit.
An accidental overdose of acetaminophen can be very easy. Combining medications, or taking more than the recommended amount, can lead to poisoning and requires immediate action. The first thing to do is gather up any pills you have taken within the last day and go to the emergency room. There, you will be fully assessed, and proper medical attention can be provided.
Medical treatment may include pumping your stomach, using charcoal binders to absorb the medication, or administering N-acetyl cysteine to replenish glutathione and restore your body’s ability to metabolize the acetaminophen. This treatment must be administered as quickly as possible to avoid potential complications.
If you have suffered injury from acetaminophen overdose in or around Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the Yost Legal Group today to see if you have cause to file a defective drug lawsuit.
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March 29th, 2012
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and several other prescription and over-the-counter medications, is generally not considered a defective drug. However, in incorrect dosages, it can lead to liver damage, and even result in death.
Signs of liver damage from acetaminophen generally begin within the first 12 to 24 hours of overdose. During this time, you may feel nauseous and experience vomiting and/or diarrhea. This generally subsides for the next one to two days, but is then followed by additional complications.
Within 48 to 72 hours, extremely high levels of alanine transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) begin to affect the liver. This, in turn, can lead to kidney failure, internal bleeding, acid buildup in the blood, and even death. At this point, the only option for recovery is a liver transplant.
Taken in recommended dosages, acetaminophen is generally considered a safe drug. However, accidental overdose is both easy and common, and may result in serious liver damage. If you experience nausea within 24 hours of taking acetaminophen, seek medical assistance immediately. Prompt assistance is crucial in preventing irreversible liver damage.
If you or a loved one has suffered liver damage from acetaminophen in or around Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the Yost Legal Group to schedule an initial consultation today.
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March 26th, 2012
The popular painkiller acetaminophen is primarily metabolized by the liver. When taken in recommended dosages, even long-term acetaminophen use is considered generally safe. However, when too much acetaminophen is taken at one time, it can saturate and overwhelm the liver’s sulphation and glucuronidation pathways. When this happens, your body attempts to process acetaminophen through the cytochrome P-45 system. There, the P-450 system forms the metabolite NAPQI, a toxic compound that is rendered harmless by your body’s glutathione system.
Under normal circumstances, your glutathione system detoxifies NAPQI and eliminates it from your body. When your glutathione system is overwhelmed by NAPQI, the toxic compound accumulates in the liver, causing severe damage.
Liver damage from acetaminophen occurs when the glutathione pathway is overwhelmed by too much of acetaminophen’s metabolite, NAPQI. When this happens, the accumulation of acetaminophen is not eliminated from the body, resulting in serious damage to your liver.
According to the FDA, accidental overdose of acetaminophen results in over 800 cases of liver damage in the United States every year. The resulting medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering can overwhelm your family in the same way acetaminophen overwhelms your liver.
If you or a loved one has incurred liver damage due to an accidental overdose of acetaminophen, you may have a right to seek compensation for your damages. The Baltimore pharmaceutical injury lawyers at the Yost Legal Group will fight aggressively to ensure your rights are protected and you receive the compensation you deserve.
Please contact the Baltimore, Maryland personal injury attorneys at the Yost Legal Group to schedule an initial consultation today.
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