According to the Mayo Clinic, around 70% of all Americans take at least one prescription drug. These drugs are necessary to control chronic health conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, whereas other drugs are prescribed for only a limited amount of time. Without these prescription drugs, millions of Americans would never get well, or they would feel excruciating physical pain and/or emotional distress.
Unfortunately, not all drugs are safe. Even though the United States has an extensive regulatory scheme, many drugs enter the market each year that are clearly dangerous. Thousands of people are injured when drugs are recalled because of dangerous or unknown side effects.
If you suspect that you have been harmed by a prescription drug, you are not alone. Many drugs have side effects that patients are not warned about or which the pharmaceutical industry has not properly disclosed. An Atlanta pharmaceutical injury lawyer can explain your legal options. MG Law is prepared to help you get the compensation you need and hold Big Pharma accountable. Contact one of our pharmaceutical injury lawyers in Atlanta for a FREE consultation.
Why Dangerous Drugs Hit the Market
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must give its stamp of approval before a drug can be dispensed to patients. The FDA process is rigorous, and many drugs are never sold to the public because testing shows that they are not safe or that their risks outweigh any benefits.
Whenever a dangerous drug makes the news, a common question is, “How?” Specifically, how did a drug with dangerous or possibly deadly side effects pass the FDA screening process and make its way to the public?
The answer differs depending on the situation. For example, some manufacturers conceal information from the FDA. Even when they don’t conceal information, some companies will downplay any side effects to make their drugs seem more beneficial than they really are. Other companies do not perform adequate tests or have tests that lack necessary controls.
Even worse, some giant pharmaceutical companies find out later that patients are becoming sit but sit on that information instead of forwarding it to the FDA. The sad reality is that Big Pharma often prioritizes its own profits over public safety. And many regulatory agencies are understaffed and overworked.
At MG Law, we take pride whenever we can hold a big Atlanta pharmaceutical company accountable for selling dangerous drugs. A drug injury lawyer is critical to increasing your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome in any case against a pharmaceutical company. We understand that lawsuits have an important role to play in keeping the public safe.
Common Pharmaceutical Injuries
The injuries caused by defective drugs can vary in severity depending on several factors. Common injuries and diseases caused by defective drugs include the following:
- Stroke,
- Heart attack,
- Cancers,
- Organ perforation,
- Mental health impacts,
- Birth defects,
- Blood clots,
- Increased blood pressure,
- Bone fractures,
- Type 2 diabetes, and
- Death.
Contact an experienced Atlanta drug lawyer today to discuss your options when you sustain injuries from a dangerous pharmaceutical product.
How We Bring Cases
Every case begins with listening to an injured victim explain what prescription drugs she is taking and how they make her feel. We can also look at medical records to fully grasp the medical complications she has experienced.
To bring a successful suit, we need to show that the pharmaceutical company in Atlanta did something wrong. It isn’t enough that a client had a negative reaction to the drug—that sometimes happens. Sometimes, side effects are properly disclosed, and no drug guarantees that it is 100% safe. However, we can bring a suit where we can show one of the following:
- Negligence. This means that the company failed to use sufficient care in the design or manufacture of drugs. As an example, a research trial might have been poorly designed and run by someone without adequate experience. If a person or company’s negligence caused your injury, you can sue.
- Strict liability. Georgia puts the burden on manufacturers when they release drugs that are defectively designed, manufactured, or marketed. Unlike negligence, we do not have to show that the pharmaceutical company used insufficient care. Instead, it is enough that the product was defective, and it caused your injuries.
Choosing the right legal theory is complicated. Sometimes, we plead both theories. However, we always ensure that we gather sufficient evidence to back up our claims.
Why Do I Need an Attorney for a Drug Injury?
Defective drug cases are highly technical and complex. For the reasons discussed above, even choosing the correct legal theory is complicated. A pharmaceutical litigation lawyer has the training, experience, and resources to help you build a strong case. Leveraging the benefits of having an attorney is a wise choice. Let’s take a look at some of these benefits.
Managing Your Claim
Understanding the litigation process is essential to winning your case and includes knowing the laws relevant to your claim, the stages of the litigation process, and the court system. This is a major reason why your case is best handled by a pharmaceutical liability lawyer. Your lawyer will have deep knowledge of all aspects of case management and can navigate the claim process for you. Your lawyer will also communicate with other parties on your behalf. Allowing a lawyer to handle your case will allow you to focus on recovery and get you a far better outcome than winging it on your own.
Explaining Legal Concepts
A drug injury lawyer has had years of legal training, allowing them to be well-versed in the legal concepts relevant to your case. The average person facing an injury due to a defective drug lacks the knowledge to build a winning legal strategy. An Atlanta drug lawyer can explain the legal concepts, so you fully understand your options and increase your chances of success.
Collecting Evidence
A skilled pharmaceutical litigation lawyer knows how to collect the evidence that matters—thereby allowing you to prove liability and damages. Complex defective drug cases typically require expert testimony from medical, manufacturing, engineering, and drug industry experts. An attorney can engage the appropriate experts without any upfront costs to you.
When Should I File a Claim Against the Drug Manufacturer?
Once you know a defective drug could have caused your injuries, you should immediately contact a pharmaceutical liability lawyer. They can advise you about the applicable statute of limitations, which is the deadline for filing your claim. If you miss this critical deadline, you will be barred from getting any compensation. For example, Georgia law requires you to file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of sustaining the injury, with some exceptions. In rare cases, this time limit is measured from when you discovered or should have discovered your injury and its cause.
How Do I Afford Your Services?
Like most drug injury lawyers, MG Law handles cases on a contingency basis. That means you only pay if we win. MG Law gathers information during the free consultation to determine if you have a viable claim. Although no outcome is guaranteed, MG Law only retains cases it believes have a good chance of recovery.
Can You Represent Me Across State Lines?
You must find the right pharmaceutical liability lawyer for a defective drug case. Fortunately, lawyers can represent clients across state lines. A pro hac vice admission allows an attorney to practice law in another jurisdiction for a particular case if the lawyer meets all requirements. Each jurisdiction has its own rules.
Additionally, with electronic legal research, electronic documents, and videoconferencing, you are not disadvantaged by having an Atlanta drug lawyer represent you across state lines.
You should hire us because we are leading personal injury attorneys with extensive experience in defective drug cases. Whether your case is part of multi-district litigation, a class-action lawsuit, or an individual claim, we can help you obtain the compensation you’re entitled to, regardless of location.
Compensation when You Are Harmed
At MG Law, our Atlanta pharmaceutical injury lawyers have brought claims to recover the following:
- Medical care
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
If a loved one died, then we can seek damages in a wrongful death case, which can make up for things like loss of companionship and loss of financial support.
Every case is different. Some clients obtain more than others, but our drug injury lawyers in Atlanta do everything possible to maximize the amount our clients take home.
Contact Us Today
If you have suffered a bad reaction to a prescription drug, now is the time to act. MG Law has taken on some of the largest companies in the state, and we are not intimidated when companies show up with their army of lawyers.
For help with your case, contact us today. We offer a FREE consultation to those who have been harmed by prescription drugs.