Serving Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Kitty Hawk, and the Surrounding Communities
We trust that medications and medical devices will improve our health and quality of life. Unfortunately, defective drugs and medical devices can cause devastating injuries, severe health complications, or even death. Consumers deserve safe products they can rely on, but when safety standards are neglected, the consequences can be life-changing.
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we are defective drug lawyers and medical device injury attorneys. We are dedicated to holding pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of defective drugs fully accountable for the injuries they cause and securing the maximum compensation our clients deserve.
No Fee Unless Compensation is Obtained – Schedule A Free Consultation & Case Evaluation Today!
We always represent injured clients on a contingency fee basis. This means we are only paid a fee for our services out of the compensation obtained.
As a full-service injury firm, we also advance all costs associated with furthering a client’s case, so you will not need to worry about paying these costs while your case is ongoing. These costs often include retaining experts, conducting discovery (including depositions), paying court fees, and other matters. In most cases, these costs are repaid through a jury award or settlement.
Side Effects and the Liability for Dangerous Drugs
Drugs are designed to cure or help specific medical conditions. Many drugs can have adverse side effects, such as leading to unintended complications through interactions with other drugs. Additionally, some drugs can also have adverse side effects on those with certain pre-existing conditions. In some cases, drugs result in adverse reactions to almost anyone, even those who are not on medications or who do not have pre-existing conditions.
Drug manufacturers have an obligation to explain clearly any potential side effects so that physicians and patients can make an informed decision about whether to take a specific drug. If a drug manufacturer does not disclose these potential risks, the drug manufacturer can be held liable for any resulting consequences that were not disclosed.
How Else Can Medications Be Defective?
In addition to undisclosed or dangerous side effects, medications can also be defective if they become contaminated in the manufacturing process, potentially exposing patients to harmful bacteria or toxic substances, or if there is improper labeling or dosages (which can lead to overdoses or ineffective treatment).
As Virginia Beach defective drug attorneys, we have the resources and experience needed to thoroughly investigate these complex claims. From analyzing medical records and FDA warnings to consulting with industry experts, we build strong cases to recover full compensation for our clients’ injuries and damages.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by a defective drug or medical device, don’t hesitate to contact us. Fill out the contact form on this page or call our office at (833) 997-1774 to schedule a free consultation today.
Defective Medical Devices
Defective medical devices have led to countless severe injuries, suffering, and even death. If you believe that you have been harmed by a defective medical device, it is important to secure representation with an experienced defective medical device lawyer.
Common Types of Defective Medical Products
Defective medical devices can cause life-altering injuries and often pose significant (and ongoing) risks to patients. Implanted medical devices often need to be removed and sometimes replaced. In other instances, a patient’s problems cannot be cured simply by replacing a defective medical device.
Some examples of defective medical devices that we are available to handle include:
- Pacemakers and Defibrillators: Devices that fail to regulate heartbeats, causing severe cardiac complications.
- Shoulder, Hip, and Knee Implants: Metal-on-metal joint replacements that deteriorate prematurely, leading to pain, mobility issues, and the need for revision surgeries. In some cases, toxic chemicals from the devices can break down and enter a patient’s bloodstream, leading to further damaging conditions. In recent years, hip replacements made by DePuy (a Johnson & Johnson company) have been recalled. Additionally, Exactech – a maker of shoulder, hip, and knee replacements – has issued a recall of over 600,000 devices made between 2004 and 2021 for these prosthetics.
- Surgical Mesh: Mesh products used in hernia or pelvic surgeries that erode, migrate, or cause organ damage. Surgical mesh can often cut into tissue, leading to bleeding and potentially infection. Women who have received surgical mesh treatment for pelvic floor matters often experience problems such as pain, incontinence, bleeding, and painful sexual intercourse.
- Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters: IVC filters are devices implanted to prevent blood clots. Unfortunately, filters break or tear and lead to perforations, embolization, and other life-threatening complications.
The list of dangerous medical devices and the associated company recalls is constantly changing. If you believe you may have been injured as a result of a defective device not listed above, please contact us.
As with injuries from defective drugs, it is crucial to seek legal assistance promptly. As injury lawyers, we have decades of experience and have recovered more than $100 million for injured clients stemming from a wide variety of injuries and wrongful death. We are here to help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Cases We Are Currently Handling
- Our firm has assisted dozens of clients who suffered serious, debilitating injuries from DePuy faulty hip implants.
- We continue to assist dozens of women stricken with ovarian cancer after long-term use of talc powder products such as Johnson & Johnson baby powder and Johnson & Johnson shower-to-shower.
What Types of Compensation Are Available for Dangerous Drug Injury Cases & Defective Medical Device Lawsuits?
Various types of compensation are available to those harmed by defective medications or faulty medical devices. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we are dedicated to seeking full economic and non-economic damages on behalf of every client who comes through our doors. Potential compensation includes, but is not limited to:
- Complete coverage of any medical expenses arising as a result of the defective product
Physical therapy or rehabilitation expenses - The cost of replacing a faulty medical device
- Past and future pain and suffering, including future pain and suffering associated with additional surgery
- Lost wages if a victim cannot work while they recover, and future lost wages if a victim cannot work because of permanent injury
- General household out-of-pocket expenses needed to help during this time frame
- Loss of quality of life damages
- Damages for reduced life expectancy if a victim’s life expectancy is likely to be shortened because of the dangerous drug or medical device
The total amount of compensation available to those harmed due to faulty medical devices or defective prescription medications will vary depending on the circumstances surrounding a particular claim. Some factors that can affect the total compensation include the severity of the injuries that occurred, how long a person is unable to work, and the level of the injured person’s pain and suffering.
As experienced Virginia Beach defective drug and medical device attorneys, we can evaluate the facts of your case, identify all potentially liable parties, and develop a demand that reflects all damages that you have sustained as a result of a dangerous drug or defective medical device.
The Benefits of Using Our Law Firm
Our firm is known for personal service. When you hire us, you will have an experienced, dedicated defective drug or medical device team in your corner fighting for you and an attorney you can contact whenever you have questions or concerns about your case.
You will be treated with the respect you deserve and given the time and attention you need throughout your case. We will continuously keep you updated on your case.
Our work speaks for itself – check our case results and our lawyer achievements. We are dedicated to recovering full compensation – not quick undervalued settlements.
Important Information on Specific Defective Drugs and Devices
The following are links to websites that can be followed for additional information about certain defective drugs and medical devices:
- Drugwatcher follows the medical and pharmaceutical industry with the goal of informing and warning the public about dangerous drugs and medical devices.
- Roundup Weed Killer Linked to Cancer – A study published in February 2019 found that exposure to glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup weed killer, increased the risk of developing cancer by 41 percent. This study was a meta-analysis conducted by Science Direct that included a 2018 study published by Agricultural Health Study, along with five other case-control studies. These studies concluded that there was a “compelling link” between glyphosate herbicides and an increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), a form of cancer.
- Talcum Powder Linked to Ovarian Cancer – Over 20 medical studies linked talc powder to ovarian cancer. In fact, these studies reveal that women who have used talcum powder were 33 percent more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who did not use this powder.
- Essure Birth Control Device – Researchers have found that women who used the Essure birth control device had 10 times as many operations to fix problems associated with the device as compared to women who simply opted for surgery, according to a story from NBC News. Data was analyzed from over 8,000 women who had an Essure device implanted and compared to over 44,000 women who had standard surgery to block or “tie” their fallopian tubes. The data found that women who got the Essure device implanted routinely ended up needing surgery to get their tubes tied. The risk of having a second procedure was 10 times higher in women who got Essure than among women who had a laparoscopic procedure done, according to the NBC News article, which references the study published in the British Medical Journal.
- Duodenoscope Superbug Infection – The FDA revealed that it received 142 reports since 2010 of infection problems related to duodenoscopes. At least 30 patients with duodenoscope-related CRE infections died, including 11 in an outbreak that began in 2012 at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, and another 15 in a 2008 outbreak at an unidentified hospital in Central Florida.
- IVC Filter Side Effects – An IVC filter is a wire device implanted in the largest vein in the body to help catch blood clots. That large vein is known as the inferior vena cava (IVC). This vital vein carries oxygen-depleted blood from the lower half of a person’s body to their heart. Typically, IVC filters are implanted in patients who are unable to utilize blood-thinning medications. Unfortunately, these filters are causing serious health problems such as intense chest pains, deep vein thrombosis, filter embolization, and other serious side effects. In fact, the FDA received over 900 “adverse event” reports from patients involving IVC filters. As a result, the FDA issued a safety communication to the general public about the issue of temporary filters not being removed as soon as the patient was not at risk of a pulmonary embolism.
- Yaz and Yasmin Birth Control Pills – The side effects of these pills include gallstones, stroke, blood clots, symptoms of depression, a breast lump, sudden numbness, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance, chest pain, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, and sweating.
- Fentanyl/Duragesic Pain Patch – Despite being prescribed, the pain patches have resulted in accidental overdose deaths. Non-fatal side effects include constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, an exaggerated sense of well-being, headache, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, nervousness or anxiety, redness or discomfort on the skin where the patch is applied, sleeplessness, stomach pain or discomfort, sweating, and vomiting.
- DePuy Artificial Hip Recall – Health risks from the high failure rate of these metal-on-metal hip implants include soft tissue damage, bone loss, metal particles or debris in the body, severe pain, inflammation, difficulty walking, joint stress, anxiety, and the possibility of painful “revision surgery” to remove the defective hip and replace it with another.
Contact a Virginia Beach Drug Injury Attorney & Defective Medical Device Lawyer Today.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured due to a defective medication or medical device, please reach out to us as soon as possible, particularly as there are short time periods (known as the statute of limitations) by which a claim must be filed. For matters such as defective medical devices, it will be important to discuss your specific matter with a physician so that you can learn your medical options.
We have the resources necessary to conduct complete investigations into these claims, and we want to help make sure that you recover the compensation to which you are entitled. We stand up to pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers in seeking full compensation. Please contact us for a free consultation and case evaluation by filling out the contact form on this page or calling us at (833) 997-1774.