A Simple Guide To Filing Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

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In 2005, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study entitled “Neonatal signs after late in utero exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors: Literature review and implications for clinical applications.” This was the first convincing evidence linking congenital birth defects with Effexor, Zoloft, and similar antidepressants and with it began the decade-old debate over the efficacy of antidepressant use during pregnancy.

A 2006 report in the New England Journal of Medicine claimed a six-fold increase with the threat of fatal lung disorder in babies if Effexor is ingested by a pregnant woman. The British Medical Journal linked the drug use during pregnancy to congenital heart defects in 2006 and published more research evidence on Effexor birth defects in newborns in 2013.

What is Effexor?

Effexor is the first serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor or SNRI antidepressant to be introduced. From 1993, when it was approved, to 2011, the drug was one of the most-prescribed antidepressants. The original manufacturer was Wyeth, which has been a part of Pfizer since 2009. Made to regulate mood-controlling neurotransmitters, the drug is suggested to treat anxiety and depressive disorders.

The manufacturer promoted the drug as superior to other antidepressants and claimed a fewer side effects. The product labeling, however, does not carry any warning for pregnancy side effects. Nor did the manufacturer bother to inform about potential Effexor birth defects risks.

What are major Effexor birth defects?

Research reports started appearing in the early 2000s warning of pregnancy-linked Effexor birth defects. By 2012, there were dozens of reports highlighted the association of the drug with many fatal and non-fatal birth deformities. The high possibility of babies born with defects following prenatal exposure to the drug has manifested in coining of the term “Effexor Baby.”

Effexor antidepressant pregnancy side effects are found to be capable of causing congenital birth defects, such as

persistent pulmonary hypertension and hypoxemia attributed to hypoplastic lung problem
long-term heart defects in newborns, including septum wall defect, intra-cardiac blood shunting, heart hole, hypoplastic hole, ventral, atrial, and septal deformities, omphalocele, and heart failure
cranial defects, including underdeveloped brain, malformations in the brain, imperfect skull
physical defects, including vertebra deformities, flawed neural tube, cleft palates and lip, abdominal malformation, anus deformities
developmental delays, slow learning, speech and walking problems, delayed growth
neurological problems in newborns

What to consider while filing an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

The checklist prior to the filing of an Effexor birth defect lawsuit must take note of the following points.

Statute of limitations: Each state has its own statute of limitation, a legal framework prescribing time limit for filing various kinds of lawsuits. Find out what is the deadline for drug injury lawsuits. In Tennessee, for example, the statute of limitations for a Tennessee Effexor birth defect lawsuit is one year.
Evidence: Identify if the birth defect claim is directly or indirectly related to the use of Effexor antidepressant.
Documents: You will need to review medical and other documents to support your claim, including the pharmacy records to prove you were prescribed the medication during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Consult with Counsel.

What to allege in an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

Remember that every case is different. An Effexor birth defect lawsuit can seek various types of damages, such as

Recovery of past medical expenses
Financial assistance for future medical costs
Compensation for disability
Compensation for physical suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of wages
Punitive damages

Am I eligible to file an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

If your child is a victim of Effexor birth defect and you are willing to seek financial damages for product liability, please contact our Effexor birth defect lawyer at 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

October 21, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Seeking Product Liability

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An Effexor birth defect lawsuit filed by a Mississippi mother claims that her daughter was born with serious birth defects following ingestion of the SNRI antidepressant during pregnancy. She claims that failure of Pfizer to warn about the birth defects proved costly for her daughter, who now requires life-long medical support to lead a normal life. Her doctor, in the absence of any tangible information on possible side effects, suggested Effexor as safe drug to treat depression while she was pregnant.

Billie Miles took Effexor antidepressant for five months until December 23, 2008 when she felt labor pain. Her daughter was born with severe respiratory and heart deformities, common symptoms of an “Effexor baby,” and was kept under intensive neonatal care for weeks. The child even underwent critical surgeries to stay alive.

The Effexor birth defect lawsuit seeks product liability on the ground that “Effexor causes birth defects and delays developmental milestones in children whose mothers digest the drug during pregnancy and Pfizer refuses to acknowledge that the antidepressant causes the problems and refuses to adequately warn consumers and healthcare providers of these serious adverse risks.”

“The drug is unreasonably dangerous/defective drug as specified by Mississippi law due to (Pfizer’s) failure to adequately warn patients and their physicians and the manufacturer acted with gross negligence which evidences a willful, wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of others, entitling both mother and daughter to punitive damages,” according to the Effexor lawyer representing the plaintiff.

Effexor Lawsuit: Ohio Mother Seeks Damages

Another Effexor birth defect lawsuit representing an Ohio mother and her daughter seeks product liability claiming that the drug is “defective, dangerous to human health, unfit and unsuitable to be marketed and sold in commerce and lacked proper warnings as to the dangers associated with its use.” The child was born with “cardiac anomalies, including an atrial septal defect, as well as other conditions.” The mother took daily dosage of Effexor antidepressant throughout her pregnancy after her doctor prescribed it.

The lawsuit asserts that doctors prescribe Effexor to pregnant women as there is no information “listed about any birth defects and other serious pregnancy issues associated with the use of Effexor or emphasized within the Effexor prescribing information and/or drug label, which make many to believe that Effexor was safe for use during pregnancy and would not cause birth defects.”

The birth defect lawsuit has named Wyeth and Pfizer, manufacturer of Effexor, as defendants and sought compensation for medical and other expenses warranted by the heart deformities in her daughter. She also claims an unspecified amount as general, special, and punitive damages.

Effexor Birth Defects in Children

Congenital heart defects
Respiratory distress
Cranial deformities
Neural tube defects
Brain and neurological disorders
Malformation in vertebra, skull, and anus
Cleft lip or palate
Septal defects
Anencephaly
Clubfoot
Spina bifida
Autism
Developmental delays

Effexor Lawsuit

Large numbers of Effexor lawsuits have come to fore with the spate of antidepressant birth defect research reports released in the recent years. The foremost allegation against the manufacturer is that it did not adequately warn doctors, consumers, FDA, or public at large about side effects Effexor can cause in pregnant women. Thousands of mothers, who did everything possible to keep the fetus free from any adverse impact, were betrayed by Effexor manufacturer, as the drug label information had no information on birth defects.

Plaintiffs are more aggrieved over the fact that the manufacturer “knew of the dangerous birth defects associated with Effexor’s use during pregnancy from the preclinical studies and the subsequent published studies confirming these risks. Pfizer and Wyeth took no action to adequately warn or remedy the risks, but instead concealed, suppressed and failed to disclose the dangers.”

Children born with Effexor birth defects and their parents suffered from fatal and non-fatal consequences, anguish, emotional pain, and economic losses, as Wyeth and Pfizer “failed to fully, truthfully, and accurately disclose Effexor birth defect data and as a result negligently, intentionally and fraudulently misled the medical community and physicians.”

No amount of compensation can reverse Effexor birth defects. However, a product liability lawsuit citing “failure to warn, design defect, negligence, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, loss of consortium, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts” can alleviate the pain to some extent and punish the guilty. It can also assure recovery of past and future medical costs. Economic damages may also help lead a life with “disability, disfigurement, impairment of working ability, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, and constant medical care.”

To know about the process for filing Effexor lawsuit and pursue defective medical device product liability claims for financial and non-financial damages citing drug maker’s actions and inactions, please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Zoloft during the first trimester or pregnancy, please contact us immediately.

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NOTE: Our team of attorneys will review potential cases for all fifty states, including Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin and Wyoming.

August 28, 2014

Effexor Lawsuit Sets for Nov 2015 Federal Trial

Effexor lawsuit claims serious birth defects.

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Depressed mothers-to-be face a dilemma in the face of increasing number of Effexor lawsuits finding fault with the antidepressant for neonatal birth defects. Research evidences indicate potential threats posed by Effexor to the fetal health because of the pregnancy-linked side effects of the once-popular antidepressant. Even medical professionals commonly use the phrase “Effexor Baby” to denote emergency and intensive care required to save newborns with adverse health conditions. The first federal trial of Effexor birth defect lawsuit scheduled for November 2, 2015 is expected to delineate the legality of injury claims against the drug manufacturer.

Research Reports Cause Surge in Effexor Lawsuit

In 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine warned of serious respiratory birth defects, such as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, in babies exposed to Effexor side effects during pregnancy. Researchers discovered a potential six-fold rise in the risk when the drug is taken after the 20th week of pregnancy. A Harvard University study reported in 2008 termed the efficacy of SSRI and SNRI antidepressants as “clinically insignificant” compared to other alternatives and due to the high risk of birth defects in infants. The British Medical Journal linked Effexor pregnancy side effects to double risk of heart defects in newborn in 2009.

These research studies triggered filing of Effexor lawsuits claiming birth defects. A U.S. epidemiological study published in December 2012 encouraged more parents to join the litigation. Sponsored by the Center for Disease Control, the report studied Effexor side effects on 19,000 pregnant women for 10 years until 2017. Researchers found a “statistically significant increase” in 30 types of congenital deformities when Effexor antidepressant was consumed between a month prior to the pregnancy and three months into the pregnancy.

A comprehensive review of 181 research studies reported in 2013 also suggested association between birth defects and Effexor side effects during pregnancy. In 2011, the antidepressant made headlines in Canada with the death of two infants in British Columbia. Both babies had Effexor birth defects traced to the antidepressant intake by mothers during pregnancy. One of the children, a two-month old boy, died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome while sleeping and the autopsy report blamed Effexor side effects as possible cause.

Effexor Lawsuit: Plaintiffs Seek Product Liability

The first bellwether trial of federal Effexor lawsuits subject to the MDL centralization at a Pennsylvania district court is scheduled for November 2015. Plaintiffs claim that failure of Wyeth and Pfizer to inform about Effexor side effects for pregnant women exposed their children to fatal conditions, disability, deformities, and other health disorders. A Philadelphia mother, one of the plaintiffs, gave birth to a baby girl with a fused skull after taking the drug while she was pregnant. Another couple had a baby boy with hypoplastic heart, a condition that requires surgical intervention and heart transplant.

According to another Effexor lawsuit filed by an Arizona couple, their four-day-old boy had catheterization and valvuloplasty necessitated by the antidepressant birth defects. Doctors performed two open heart procedures, first at the age of six months, and multiple minor heart surgeries to keep him alive. Parents believe that their child could have been protected from birth defects, had the manufacturer been honest in disclosing the potential pregnancy side effects of the antidepressant.

Most Reported Effexor Birth Defects

Persistent pulmonary hypertension or respiratory failure
Heart defects, including hypoplastic heart, septal deformities, and valve defects
Cranial deformities resulting in underdeveloped or fused brain and skull malformations
Neural tube and vertebra deformities
Delayed mental and physical development
Physical deformities caused by malformations in different parts of the body

Parents and children who have suffered from injuries, losses, and disability due to Effexor side effects have the right to demand compensation for economic and non-economic damages from the drug manufacturer. To know about the process for filing Effexor lawsuit and pursue defective medical device product liability claims citing drug maker’s actions and inactions, please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Zoloft during the first trimester or pregnancy, please contact us immediately.

For a Free Case Evaluation:

TOLL FREE: 1-800-632-1404

EMAIL: click here

FILL OUT THIS FORM:

April 28, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Filed Over Death of Infant

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Effexor pregnancy side effects put newborns at the risk of fatal congenital injuries and death. A number of Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed in the past one year have blamed the antidepressant for death of their babies. Research studies have also highlighted significant rise in deadly lung and heart problems in children following exposure to Venlafaxine, the generic name of Effexor, during the prenatal period. The seriousness and prevalence of Effexor birth defects in newborns has led to the coining of the term “Effexor Baby” in medical circles.

Effexor Heart Defect Lawsuit

The first Effexor lawsuit claiming infant death was filed by an Ohio mother in February 2012, exactly two years after her daughter died of birth defects. Lauren Boyer, the plaintiff took the SNRI antidepressant during pregnancy. She delivered a baby girl with arterial blood vessel and mitral valve deformities, and the infant died due to heart defects. The 17-count Effexor birth defect lawsuit accused the manufacturer of concealing, suppressing, and failing to make public the information on venlafaxine pregnancy risks.

A couple lost their child to Effexor birth defects caused by the intake of the antidepressant during the second trimester. Their child was born with a hypoplastic heart, aortic defects, and no heart valves and died soon after birth. According to the Effexor baby heart defect lawsuit, the manufacturer was aware of “dangerous birth heart defects associated with Effexor’s use during pregnancy from preclinical studies and subsequent published studies confirming these risks,” but “took no action to adequately warn or remedy the risks.”

Researchers have discovered that SNRI antidepressants, such as Effexor, enhance the risk of birth defects by at least 40 percent if administered to women in their second trimester. There is 60 percent possibility of such babies being born with Effexor heart defects. A Danish study has highlighted incidents of babies born with heart defects to women, who had used Effexor prior to conceiving.

In 2009, a report in the British Medical Journal warned of a two-time increased risk of Effexor heart defects in babies because of exposure to Venlafaxine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The most reported Effexor heart defects in newborns include,

hypoplastic heart syndrome
arterial deformities
septal defects
blue baby syndrome
heart hole
neonatal cardiac complications
pulmonary stenosis
circulatory distress
mitral valve defects
underdeveloped left ventricle

Effexor PPHN Baby Death Lawsuit

Persistent pulmonary hypertension, a serious respiratory condition linked to Effexor pregnancy side effects, puts newborns at the heightened risk of death. A Texas mother with pre-existing depressive disorder was prescribed Effexor while she was 10-week pregnant. She gave birth to a premature daughter with PPHN following preterm labor. The serious respiratory condition led to circulatory problems restricting oxygen supply to the brain and the daughter died after remaining hospitalized for two months.

The Effexor baby death lawsuit has sought strict liability arguing that the drug manufacturer misled consumers by not informing about potential pregnancy-linked risks. The plaintiff has also accused Pfizer and Wyeth of fraud and misrepresentation for marketing Effexor without disclosing its side effects for pregnant women

If you or a loved one took Effexor and a child was born with birth defects,please fill out the form to the right or call us so that we can provide you with forms to evaluate your potential case immediately. You may also visit our Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Information Source.

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April 28, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Links Antidepressant to Fatal Lung Disorder

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Effexor antidepressant use during pregnancy causes newborns to suffer from persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a fatal lung disorder. According to an Effexor birth defect lawsuit filed by a Texas woman, her daughter was born with PPHN and suffered from fatal respiratory distress after she took Effexor to overcome depression. Filed in a Pennsylvania eastern district federal court, the Effexor birth defect lawsuit has sought financial and punitive damages, accusing manufacturer Pfizer of withholding pregnancy-linked antidepressant side effects and misleading consumers about the drug safety.

The Effexor birth defect lawsuit claims that the mother unaware of any pregnancy side effects selected the drug to maintain her emotional state and keep off any injury to the child in her womb. However, exposure to Effexor resulted in hear-death condition for her daughter and doctors resurrected her after frantic efforts. The newborn remained hospitalized for weeks.

Had there been information about Effexor PPHN birth injury, the plaintiff would have not used the antidepressant during her pregnancy and thus securing her daughter against death-like condition, the Effexor birth defect lawsuit asserts.

What Is PPHN

Persistent pulmonary hypertension or PPHN is a respiratory disorder that prevents blood circulation from lungs to other body parts and thus deprives internal organs from oxygen. During the prenatal stage, a child receives oxygen supply through the neural tube. Once the baby is born, the lunges take over the function. However, Effexor birth defects lead to restricted functioning of pulmonary arteries limiting blood supply to the lungs. As a result, oxygen acquired by lungs cannot be carried to other body organs.

PPHN claims one death in every five instances. It causes life-threatening hypertension and paucity of oxygen in babies that may lead to multi-organ failure. The condition is also likely to result in seizures, kidney failure, and heart stroke unless treated immediately. Often newborns suffering from PPHN are kept on respiratory support and under supervision of neonatal intensive units for at least a week.

Effexor taken during pregnancy is likely to increase the risk of PPHN by six times, according to a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Other Effexor Side Effects

Research studies and litigations have also linked Effexor to birth defects, such as

Hypoplastic lungs
Congenital heart defects
Brain and skull deformities
Underdeveloped vertebra and anus
Cranial and abdominal malformations
Neural tube defects
Developmental delays
Physical deformities in foot, lip, and other external body parts

The American Academy of Pediatrics has cautioned medical professionals against recommending Effexor antidepressant to pregnant women. The advisory issued in 2012, highlighted the potential risk of Effexor birth defects in babies born to mothers treated with the medication.

Effexor Lawsuit

Over 100 Effexor birth defect lawsuits have been filed in the federal court system claiming product liability against Pfizer. Parents claim that the drug side effects were never disclosed by the manufacturer prior to publication of research reports and this led to their children born with Effexor birth defects compromising their physical wellbeing and quality of life. The manufacturer withheld information on pregnancy-linked Effexor side effects found during clinical trials and post-marketing surveys and marketed the antidepressant as without any side effect for pregnant women, Effexor birth defect lawsuits allege.

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