An Actos bladder cancer lawsuit was filed by the widow of a Michigan man who developed bladder cancer allegedly after taking Actos.

The Actos bladder cancer lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Betty Beaubien, who says her husband Louis Beaubien was prescribed Actos to help control his diabetes. However, after beginning treatment with Actos, he developed bladder cancer, and died in March 2012.

This Actos side effects lawsuit is joining others in making the claim that the drug is potentially dangerous. These Actos bladder cancer lawsuits allege that the earliest human, and even animal, trials of Actos found that the drug was associated with an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. The Actos lawsuits further allege that in spite of this risk, drug makers continued to market Actos, endangering lives while reaping a profit.

One string of evidence that has come up in the various Actos bladder cancer lawsuits, including the Beaubiens’, is that various governments banned or issued strong warnings regarding the drug. In 2011, both France and Germany’s equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued statements either banning the drug or dissuading physicians from writing new prescriptions. Within months, the FDA mandated changes to the drug’s labeling and inserts advising of the risk of bladder cancer associated with the drug. These decisions were based on research studies, including some sponsored by various governments.

The Actos bladder cancer lawsuit seeks several types of damages, including paying for the costs associated with Louis Beaubien’s cancer. This includes medical costs and lost income potential. The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages. Punitive damages are a special type of award issued in specific circumstances. Unlike most awards sought in a lawsuit, punitive damages are not meant to compensate a victim. Instead punitive damages are designed to punish offenders and dissuade further infractions.

The Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuit is Betty J. Beaubien, et al. v. Takeda Pharamaceuticals USA Inc., et al., Case No. 6:14-cv-2413, within the MDL In Re: Actos Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2299, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.