General Motors Attempts to Settle For Less in LI Girl's Case.

They ain't too proud to beg for billions, but when it comes to compensating two Long Island girls critically injured in a horrific head-on crash, General Motors officials are telling the kids' family to settle for "pennies" -- or get nothing at all when the auto giant goes belly up, court papers show.

The girls -- one of whom is now a quadriplegic -- likely face a lifetime of medical bills.

GM's lawyers "threatened" the girls' lawyers, saying they should accept a "considerably significant reduction" in any potential settlement "lest their claims be wiped out in a bankruptcy reorganization," according to papers filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court by Stanley Sanders, lawyer for one of the children... Read Full Article Here.

Hydroxycut recalled from the market. FDA warns consumers on liver damage risks.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a warning to all Hydroxycut consumers to immediately stop the use of the dietary supplement produced by Iovate Health Science Inc., of Oakville, Ontario. According to the FDA number of Hydroxycut products are associated with several serious liver injuries. The drug manufacturer has agreed to recall the product from the market.

In the report the FDA stated that it has received over 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, which is an indicator of potential liver injury that can lead to liver damage requiring liver transplants.

... Read Full Article Here.

Esophageal Cancer in Patients Taking Oral Bisphosphonates

December 31, 2008 (updated January 12, 2009, with FDA comments) — Cases of esophageal cancer in patients who had been taking oral bisphosphonate drugs for osteoporosis have been reported by an official from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the January 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"We are not able to determine if oral bisphosphonates cause or contribute to esophageal cancer without a study that collects information on known risk factors for esophageal cancer while also taking into account the oral bisphosphonate use," the author, Diane Wysowski, PhD, epidemiologist in the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA, commented to Medscape Oncology. She suggested that additional studies of this issue should be carried out.

... Read Full Article Here.

FDA report finds multiple problems at peanut plant

January 28 , 2009 | Associated Press, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar & Greg Bluestein | Filed Under: Peanut Butter, Peanut Products, Salmonella Contaminated Peanuts

Roaches, mold, and signs of a leaking roof were among numerous problems federal inspectors uncovered at a Georgia peanut plant implicated in the national salmonella outbreak, the government said Wednesday.

Food and Drug Administration inspectors noted ten separate problem areas in the report, which the agency posted on the Internet... Read Full Article Here.

Hospital infections spread, so do lawsuits

December 1 , 2008 | Wisconsin Law Journal, Sylvia Hsieh | Filed Under: Hospital infections

Boston — A new type of med-mal lawsuit is on the increase — claims based on hospital infections.

Several recent verdicts and settlements illustrate this trend:
On Nov. 6, a jury awarded $13.5 million to a Massachusetts woman who died of an infection... Read Full Article Here.

Doctors Claim Glaxo Dismissed Worried on Avandia -- Drug Maker Tried to Make Physician at Maryland Hospital Stop Talking About concerns; Company Defends Its Effort

November 19 , 2008 | The Wall Street Journal
Filed Under: Defective Drugs, Avandia

A ruckus erupted last year when reports surfaced that Glaxo was accused of intimidating John Buse, a University of North Carolina researcher who, years earlier, questioned the safety of its Avandia diabetes pill, which was linked to heart problems. However, he wasn’t the only one the drugmaker tried to stifle.

A doctor from a small Maryland hospital linked Avandia to congestive heart failure in 2000... Read Full Article Here.

Public Citizen Petitions FDA to Ban Diabetes Drug Avandia, According to Avandia Plaintiffs Attorney Group

November 6 , 2008 | LexisNexis Press Release
Filed Under: Defective Drugs, Avandia

National non-profit organization documents upsurge in negative clinical data associated with use of Avandia, urges FDA commissioner to remove drug from U.S. market immediately Thus, it is urgent for the FDA to immediately ban rosiglitazone (Avandia). Read Full Article Here.

  Reports of serious drug reactions hit record

October 23 , 2008 | Associated Press
Filed Under: Defective Drugs, Chantix, Heparin

The number of serious drug reactions and deaths reported to the government shot up in the first three months of this year to set a new record, a health industry watchdog group said Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration received nearly 21,000 reports of serious drug reactions, including more than 4,800 deaths, said an analysis of federal data by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.

Two drugs accounted for a large share of the latest reports. One was the blood thinner heparin. Most of the drug's problems were prompted by tainted heparin imported from China. The other was Chantix, a new kind of anti-smoking drug from Pfizer ... Read More.

  Sanders Law Firm Files Claim for Good Samaritan Beaten by NYC Cops Gone Wild

August 22 , 2008 | Press Release
Filed Under: Police Brutality

Marc Grossman, Senior Partner of the law firm of Sanders, Sanders, Block, Woycik, Viener & Grossman, P.C. in Bronx, New York, announced today that it has just filed a Notice of Claim against The City of New York and The New York City Police Department.. Read More.

  Acid reflux drugs may be linked to increased risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.

August 11 , 2008 | WebMD
Filed Under: Acid Reflux Drugs

Using acid reflux drugs called proton pump inhibitors for at least seven years may be linked to increased risk of osteoporosis-related fractures Read More.

  Chantix Out at One U.S. Military Base

August 11 , 2008 | NewsInferno
Filed Under: Chantix Lawsuit, Chantix Lawyer, Chantix News

Not letting people who are carrying rifles to take a drug that has been linked to suicide sounds like a good idea to me. Marc Grossman. Read More.

  New-York Based Sanders Law Firm Files Five Product Liability Lawsuits Against Pfizer on Behalf of Chantix Plaintiffs.

August 5 , 2008 | Lexis Nexis Press Release
Filed Under: Chantix Lawsuit, Chantix Lawyer, Chantix News

Leading personal injury law firm representing families of individuals who suffered from suicidal thoughts and erratic behavior while taking popular smoking cessation drug. Read More.

  $ 8 Million in 8 Days

May 29, 2008 | Partner Marc Grossman
Filed Under: Personal Injury, Vioxx Litigation Press Release

In the past eight days, our law firm has recovered over $8 Million for our clients. Our most recent recovery was a $5.0 MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT. In a product liability action litigated in Federal Court, Eastern District, David Woycik, Jr. obtained a 5.0 Million Dollar settlement award for a paraplegic injured as a result of an accident occasioned by a defective bicycle.

Plaintiff, 52 years of age and a tri-athlete, was riding his bicycle on June 10, 2006 in Heckscher State Park in Suffolk County. While approximately one-quarter of the way around the first of three loops, plaintiff’s bicycle stopped suddenly causing him to be catapulted over the handlebar and to land on the ground on his head.

As a result of the accident, plaintiff severed his spinal cord, leaving him a paraplegic.

In a vigorously contested case, through relentless discovery, exhaustive and diligent post-accident investigation and employment of reputable engineering, reconstructive and material science experts, Mr. Woycik was able to establish that fractures and cracks in the reinforced aranid carbon fiber front fork of plaintiff’s bicycle- manufactured, designed and sold by defendants- was responsible for the sudden stopping of the bicycle and the ensuing accident.
 
Another $2.4Million recovery was obtained last week in a Construction Accident Case by Partner Stanley J. Sanders and an $850,000 settlement was reached by Partners Martin Block and Meryl Sanders Viener in a lead point poisoning case.

Our Firm continues to achieve excellent results for our clients each and every week of the year. We at The Sanders Firm are hopeful that our successes and the top results we are obtaining will continue well into the future. 

Partner Marc Grossman

  8 Drugs Doctors Would Never Take

If they won't use these medications, why should you?

July 17, 2008 | Morgan Lord, Men's Health
Filed Under: Personal Injury, Defective Drugs, Medicine

With 3,480 pages of fine print, the Physicians' Desk Reference (a.k.a. PDR) is not a quick read. That's because it contains every iota of information on more than 4,000 prescription medications. Heck, the PDR is medication — a humongous sleeping pill. Read More..

  FDA Requests Boxed Warnings on Fluoroquinolone Antimicrobial Drugs

Seeks to Strengthen Warnings Concerning Increased Risk of Tendinitis and Tendon Rupture

July 8, 2008 | FDA
Filed Under: Defective Drugs, FDA Warning, FDA News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified manufacturers of fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs that a Boxed Warning in the product labeling concerning the increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture is necessary. Through its new authority under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA), the agency also determined that it is necessary for manufacturers of the drugs to provide a Medication Guide to patients about possible side effects. Read More..

The FDA has notified the manufacturers of these drugs that a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) is necessary to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks. The Medication Guide will be considered to be an element of the REMS. The new Boxed Warning and Medication Guide would strengthen warning information already included in product labeling for the fluoroquinolone class of systemic antimicrobial drugs.

Fluoroquinolones are drugs approved for the treatment or prevention of certain bacterial infections. Like other antibacterial drugs, fluoroquinolones do not treat viral infections such as colds or flu.

"Fluoroquinolones are effective in treating certain bacterial infections, but health care professionals and patients need to be aware of the increased risk associated with the use of these drugs of developing tendinitis and tendon rupture, particularly for certain patient populations," said Edward Cox, M.D., director, Office of Antimicrobial Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "The FDA believes it is important to highlight and strengthen information regarding possible side effects of fluoroquinolones because it may affect decisions about the relative risks and benefits associated with these products."

The FDA has conducted a new analysis of the available literature and post-marketing adverse event reports. This new analysisreconfirmsthat use of fluoroquinolones is associated with an increased risk of tendon rupture. It alsodemonstrates that despite the current warning of tendon rupture in the labeling for the fluoroquinolones, large numbers of tendon-related adverse events continue to be reported. The FDA considers this new analysis to be "new safety information" as defined in FDAAA.

The FDA also issued Information for Health Care Professionals today to alert health care professionals to the increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in patients taking these drugs and to highlight new information concerning who may be at higher risk for this side effect.

The risk of developing fluoroquinolone-associated tendinitis and tendon rupture is further increased in people older than 60, in those taking corticosteroid drugs, and in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients. Patients experiencing pain, swelling, inflammation of a tendon or tendon rupture should be advised to stop taking their fluoroquinolone medication and to contact their health care professional promptly about changing their antimicrobial therapy. Patients should also avoid exercise and using the affected area at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation.

Manufacturers are being notified of the need to change labeling so that all of the drugs in the class carry uniform updated warning language. These warnings would apply to fluoroquinolones for systemic use (e.g., pills, tablets, capsules and injectable formulations). The warnings would not apply to fluoroquinolones for topical ophthalmic or otic use (e.g., eye and ear drops).

Fluoroquinolone manufacturers are required to submit the safety labeling changes, including the strengthened warnings and the Medication Guide, to the FDA within 30 days, or to provide a reason why they do not believe such labeling changes are necessary. If they do not submit new language, or the FDA disagrees with the new language the company proposes, FDAAA provides strict timelines for resolving the labeling changes and allows the agency to issue an order directing the labeling change as deemed appropriate to address the new safety information. In addition, in accordance with FDAAA, sponsors will be required to assess whether their REMS are achieving the goal of informing patients of the risk of tendon-rupture. These assessments may include a survey of patients' and prescribers' understanding of the risks of tendon-rupture and whether the Medication Guide is being distributed and dispensed with the drug.

Health care professionals should consider the potential benefits and risks for each patient. While most patients tolerate these medicines well, occasionally some will develop other serious adverse reactions that may include convulsions, hallucinations, depression, abnormalities in heart rhythm, or severe diarrhea.

The medications involved in this action are: Cipro and generic ciprofloxacin, Cipro XR and Proquin XR (ciprofloxacin extended release), Factive (gemifloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin), Avelox (moxifloxacin), Noroxin (norfloxacin), and Floxin and generic ofloxacin.