The medications that Georgia residents take every day to manage everything from minor aches to chronic illnesses can generally be trusted to work as expected and advertised. Unfortunately, the numerous recalls that drug companies issue each year for various medical products prove that “generally” does not mean “always”—and sometimes those recalls come too late to prevent hundreds or even thousands of people from suffering serious physical harm.
If you were severely hurt because an over-the-counter or prescription medicine you took had unlisted side effects or contraindications, you might have grounds to file suit against the product’s manufacturers with the help of a seasoned personal injury attorney. However, cases like this can be extremely complex even by the usual standards for personal injury litigation, so retaining a Kennesaw dangerous drugs lawyer with experience handling situations like yours could be vital to preserving your best interests.
Pursuing a Mass Tort Claim Against a Drug Manufacturer
By far the biggest reason dangerous drug claims can be so difficult to win is simply that the defendants are so powerful. The pharmaceutical corporations that make nearly all medical products sold in United States stores and pharmacies take in billions of dollars in revenue each year, and a substantial chunk of that goes to funding legal teams that dedicate their working lives to contesting lawsuits filed by dissatisfied—and sometimes seriously ill or injured—customers.
Overcoming opposition like this is not something any single plaintiff stands much chance of doing, even with help from seasoned legal counsel—and, fortunately, it is not something they necessarily have to do to recover compensation. By participating in mass tort litigation or a class action lawsuit, people harmed by reckless or careless drug companies can combine resources and work together to pursue collective restitution for their individual claims.
Any damages that could be included in a standard personal injury claim could be factored into mass tort litigation, from medical expenses to lost work income to physical and psychological suffering. A Kennesaw dangerous drug attorney could further explain during an initial consultation exactly how cases like this tend to work, and assist with the process of joining one in progress or starting a new one.
Common Grounds for Dangerous Drug Litigation
Importantly, not every negative effect a medication has can serve as grounds for a dangerous drug claim, even when they result in severe medical complications. Broadly speaking, drug companies only bear strict liability for harm caused by a defect in their product that existed when the product left the manufacturer’s direct control, existed in the same form when the product reached the consumer, and was the primary and direct cause of that consumer’s injuries.
As a dangerous drug lawyer in Kennesaw could explain, claims of this nature are generally built around defects in either design, manufacture, or marketing. This generally means issues such as the use of a core formula for a product that is unreasonably dangerous, contamination of a drug during production, or a manufacturer’s failure to warn doctors and consumers of all possible side effects a drug could have.
Seek Help from a Kennesaw Dangerous Drugs Attorney
Defects in medical products can be hazardous, particularly if they affect drugs used to manage life-threatening conditions. Unfortunately, far too many medications with these flaws reach the market and are sold to Georgia residents.
Taking action against a pharmaceutical company over their unreasonably harmful product could be much easier and have better odds of success with support from a capable Kennesaw dangerous drugs lawyer. Call the Gunn Law Group today to learn more.