One of the largest industries in the world is the pharmaceutical industry, and people depend on this industry for life saving medications every day. This makes for an extremely competitive market, and companies are often in direct competition to get a drug out to the public for a specific illness. This is potentially dangerous to the consumer because these drugs, while they must be directly approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are sometimes brought to market prematurely.
Sometimes proper testing is not completed, and due to operational exhaustion within the FDA, these improperly or insufficiently tested medications are prematurely released to the public. These shortcuts can result in severe injury or even death, in some cases. Additionally, these practices can lead to drug manufacturers packaging these drugs with incomplete or misleading information on the labeling to doctors. This can lead to drugs being administered improperly.
Contacting a Defective Product Attorney Around Chicago
Injuries can also be caused by medical devices such as surgical implants, pacemakers, artificial heart valves, and joint replacements. These types of devices must also be tested completely before they are offered to the public. However, as in the case of medications, medical device manufacturers often try to shortcut the approval process to get their product to the market ahead of the competition.
Some injury claims focusing on medical devices or medical equipment begin as simple product liability claims, but can end up as class action lawsuits when a particular dangerous or defective product results in many individuals being harmed.
Product Liability and Medical Malpractice
Patients tend to put a great deal of trust in their doctors, and most people also trust the recommendations of their pharmacist as well as the companies that provide their medications. However, pharmaceutical-related injuries are all too common, often causing more problems than if the patient hadn’t taken anything at all. Common injuries include diabetes, heart attack or heart damage, internal organ damage, depression, and death.
Another problem to consider is that adverse effects don’t always show themselves immediately, meaning that some patients continue to take the drugs or use the medical devices without knowing that harm is actually occurring – leading to further damage.
Depending on the situation, more than one party may be held responsible for damages. If your doctor has prescribed a medication or utilized a device that most other doctors would not use, your doctor may be held accountable. If the product itself is to blame, and the manufacturer did not complete the testing properly, or they hid the product’s shortcomings or defects in the medication or medical device, then they may be liable for pharmaceutical malpractice and/or product liability.
In some cases, a pharmacist who dispenses medication may also be held liable for damages if they misread the medication or knowingly provided incorrect drugs.
Zimmerman Law Offices
If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of pharmaceutical drugs or a medical device, our dedicated team at Zimmerman Law Offices can assist in evaluating your case. Whether you are seeking to file a wrongful death suit, or you are looking for a knowledgeable defective products attorney in Chicago, we invite you to reach out to us and schedule a free case evaluation.
