According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch news report, a $23 million punitive damages verdict was handed down by a St. Louis jury against Abbott Laboratories to a Minnesota girl whose birth defects were allegedly caused by the anti-epileptic and seizure medication Depakote. The girl was born with spina bifida after her mother took the drug while pregnant, and her family filed a Depakote lawsuit, claiming that the drug maker failed to disclose the risk of Depakote causing serious birth defects.
If you or a loved one took the anti-seizure medication Depakote while pregnant and delivered a child with birth defects, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Attorney Group today to learn more about your options in a free, no-obligation consultation. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated Depakote lawsuit attorney. The time to pursue a claim is limited, so contact us today.
Use of Depakote During Pregnancy Linked to Birth Defects
According to the news report, the jury found that Depakote was to blame for the girl’s birth defects, and that drug maker Abbott Laboratories failed to disclose risks associated with use of Depakote during pregnancy.
In 2010, the New England Journal of Medicine released a study linking Depakote to spina bifida as well as five other birth defects, and in 2012, Abbott reached a $1.5 billion settlement with the federal government to resolve allegations of unlawful promotional practices of Depakote for uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A year later, the FDA issued a safety announcement regarding the use of certain drugs during pregnancy, including Depakote.
Affected Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Women who took Depakote while pregnant and delivered children with birth defects may be entitled to recover damages on behalf of their children including medical expenses, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and scarring and disfigurement resulting from medical treatment. If a child dies as a result of a birth defect, family members may be able to pursue wrongful death damages, including conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death, and pain, suffering, and mental anguish resulting from the loss of a loved one.
The Time to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
If you or a loved one took Depakote while pregnant and delivered a child with birth defects, contact Attorney Group today for a free, confidential and no-obligation consultation to learn more about your options. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated Depakote lawsuit attorney. The time to pursue a claim is limited, so contact us today.
