Karina Basso  |  December 24, 2014

Category: Legal News

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Zoloft birth defect lawsuitA Zoloft birth defects lawsuit has been filed against Pfizer Inc. and Greenstone LLC by an Indiana mother who alleges her child was born with life-threatening birth defects directly linked to her use of the Pfizer antidepressant during her pregnancy.

Plaintiff Nora B. was prescribed a generic version of Zoloft to manage her depression prior to becoming pregnant with her child L.B. She continued to take the prescription antidepressant medication up through her first trimester of pregnancy. This generic version of Zoloft is manufactured and sold by Greenstone.

On Aug. 26, 2011, Nora gave birth to her child L.B., who was allegedly born with “congenital cardiac defects, including a secundum atrial septal defect with pulmonary valvular stenosis and right ventricular hypertrophy, and other related conditions, caused by Plaintiff’s ingestion of Greenstone Zoloft as prescribed by her treating physicians during her pregnancy.”

Sometime after giving birth to her child, Nora became aware of the studies linking SSRI’s like Zoloft to in utero birth defects and then filed this birth defects lawsuit on Nov. 24 of this year.

Nora further alleges Pfizer and Greenstone knew, or should have known, of the birth defect side effects associated with Zoloft and Greenstone generic Zoloft as early as 1998, when the first research study regarding SSRI antidepressants was published.

In this Zoloft birth defects lawsuit, Nora brings several allegations against Pfizer and Greenstone, including claims of strict products liability-defective design, failure to warn, negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment.

The Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuit is Case No. 2:14-cv-06770-CMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

SSRI Drugs and Birth Defects

According to several published research studies, both selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) antidepressants increase the risk of in utero defects that may cause an infant to suffer permanent, life-long disabilities, or even death.

SSRIs include antidepressant medications like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, and Celexa, while SNRIs include antidepressant drugs like Cymbalta and Effexor.

A list of birth defects associated with Zoloft and other anti-depression medication include:

  • Spina bifida
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Cleft lip or palate
  • Club foot
  • Heart damage or defect
  • Internal malformation such as omphalocele
  • PPHN (persistent pulmonary hypertension)
  • Lung defect

Most congenital birth defects may require that a newborn undergo numerous, successive surgeries and may also call for other forms of expensive medical care. These procedures and treatments can often put undue financial burden on the families of infants who have experienced or developed Zolfot birth defects.

As a result, many families have filed birth defect lawsuits against SSRI and SNRI drug manufacturers like Pfizer and Greenstone, seeking compensation for the various medical expenses accrued by the birth defects allegedly caused by Zoloft and other antidepressant drugs.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The birth defect attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, birth defect lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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If you or a loved one took Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Effexor, Celexa, Cymbalta or Depakote during pregnancy and gave birth to a child with a congenital defect, you may have a legal claim against the drug’s manufacturer. Find out if you qualify to pursue compensation for your child’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages by filling out the form below now.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case.

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Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.