Should YOU Consider an Arkansas Actos Bladder Cancer Attorney?
According to reports, the manufacturer of Actos, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., generated more than $16 billion from its medication before the generic version was released in August 2012. Although the manufacturer’s internal studies allegedly uncovered a potential link between bladder cancer and the medication as early as 2004, Takeda did not alert regulators in the U.S. until seven years later, according to plaintiffs working with an Actos bladder cancer attorney.
If you or a loved one have suffered from adverse side effects or developed bladder cancer while taking Actos, you may be able to pursue a claim and seek compensation for your injuries. Contact Attorney Group for Arkansas for more information and to be connected with an affiliated Actos bladder cancer attorney who can help you to file your lawsuit.
Overview of Actos
Actos was first approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes patients in 1999. Takeda claimed that the medication would promote better glucose circulation as it purportedly increased the patient’s sensitivity to insulin. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning in June 2011 that patients may be 40 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer if they took the medication for more than one year. As a result, patients across the country began to seek legal counsel from Actos bladder cancer attorneys in an attempt to recover damages for their diagnoses.
Patients Report Adverse Actos Side Effects
Actos has been linked to one or more of the following severe side effects:
- Bone fractures
- Liver and/or kidney damage
- Heart failure
- Bladder cancer
- Heart attacks
- Blindness
Plaintiffs Continue to File Bladder Cancer Lawsuits
In early 2013, Takeda was faced with an unusual lawsuit filed on behalf of a plaintiff in Arkansas. While lawsuits across the country allege that the manufacturer marketed a defective drug, this particular case accuses Takeda of illegal exaction based on a claim that public funds were illegally spent or misapplied in relation to the drug.
The plaintiff took action on behalf of the state of Arkansas for damages associated with the medication, including the original purchase of the drug and the costs associated with both the deaths and the treatments for side effects. The suit, filed in Louisiana, claims that Arkansas would not have purchased the medication had the manufacturer disclosed all of the complications of the drug.
In March 2012, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of a plaintiff in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas, Judge James M. Moody presiding, alleging that Actos caused serious and life-threatening injuries. However, in June 2012, this case was transferred to the Western District of Louisiana to be included in the multidistrict litigation for similar Actos lawsuits.
On April 8, 2014, Eli Lilly & Co. and Takeda were ordered to pay $3 billion and $6 billion in punitive damages, respectively, after the Louisiana Court determined that the manufacturers purposefully hid the potentially dangerous side effects and the risk of cancer from consumers and the medical community.
Plaintiffs working with an Actos bladder cancer attorney allege that the manufacturer knew or should have known about the potentially increased risk of the cancer in those taking the medication. Additionally, those who have allegedly been injured claim that Takeda failed to warn consumers and physicians of this risk, thus needlessly putting patients in danger in an attempt to recover profits.
An Arkansas Actos bladder cancer attorney can help those allegedly injured by Actos to hold the manufacturers accountable for their conditions. Depending on the circumstances surrounding individual claims, plaintiffs in Arkansas may be entitled to recover damages for lost wages, medical expenses and pain and suffering.
An Actos Bladder Cancer Attorney Can Help
Have you or a loved one taken Actos and were later diagnosed with bladder cancer or other life-threatening condition such as kidney damage or liver damage? If so, contact Attorney Group for Arkansas for a free, no-obligation consultation to determine whether you have a valid case. If you decide to pursue a claim for your injuries, we can connect you with an affiliated Actos bladder cancer attorney who can help you to pursue a claim at no out-of-pocket cost to you.
