Almost 40 Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuits Filed Simultaneously

By Top Class Actions | July 2, 2012

Category: Pharmaceuticals

Almost 40 New Zoloft Birth Defect and Heart Defect Lawsuits File Simultaneously

By Scott Hardy

Zoloft Heart & birth defect lawsuit settlement attorney

Dozens of Zoloft birth defect and heart defect lawsuits were filed simultaneously in Illinois alleging Zoloft caused children to be born with multiple congenital birth defects and heart defects. Sadly, some of the Zoloft birth defect lawsuits allege that the Zoloft related birth defects led to the deaths of their young children. The Zoloft birth defects lawsuits were filed individually and not as one large Zoloft heart defect class action lawsuit. The Zoloft birth defect lawsuits allege that Pfizer knew that infants exposed to Zoloft in the womb were not just in danger of deadly heart defects, but also, a dozen other congenital birth defects. The Zoloft lawsuits include dozens of allegations that Pfizer ignored multiple studies which showed Zoloft increased the risk of severe congenital birth defects and heart defects in animal fetuses exposed to Zoloft and withheld these details from prescribing physicians, consumers and the Food and Drug Administration. If your child was born with a birth defect it’s imperative you speak with an experienced Birth Defect attorney.

The Zoloft birth defect lawsuit allege the drug caused multiple Zoloft congenital heart defects along with other birth defects. The Zoloft congenital heart defects include vascular malformation, atrial septal defect, heart disease, ventricular septal defects, and mitral valve prolapse along with other congenital heart defects. The lawsuits also allege that Zoloft can cause birth defects like cleft lip and palate, club foot, holes in their heart (figuratively and literally,) a hole in the back of their heads, learning disabilities, infections, facial dysmorphism, missing earlobes and multiple kidneys. The children born with Zoloft heart defects had to undergo open heart surgery at just a few days old in some cases in their doctors attempts to fix Zoloft heart defects. Children with Zoloft birth defects typically have to undergo multiple surgeries throughout their lifetime to fix or treat their allegedly Zoloft induced birth defects. The Zoloft birth defect lawsuits reiterate their allegations that Zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants like Paxil cause birth defects like Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN), Atrial Septal Defects (ASD), ventricular septal defects (VSD), abdominal birth defects or abdominal hernia (omphalocele), cranial birth defects (craniosynotosis), aorta coarctation, hypoplastic right or left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries (TGA), tetralogy of fallot (TOF)/cyanosis, spina bifida, Autism Spectrum Disorder and club feet.

The birth defects listed above may be caused by many different medications (not just SSRI antidepressant drugs like Zoloft and Paxil) if taken while pregnant and only an attorney and a doctor can determine if one of the prescribed medications taken while pregnant may be responsible for birth defects like the parents in these lawsuits experienced. All of these Zoloft birth defect lawsuits include a study by Pfizer that took place before Zoloft was approved by the FDA in 1991. Pfizer conducted animal trials which found that Zoloft caused severe side effects in animal fetuses. Even though Pfizer knew of the risk of birth defects the families birth defect lawsuits allege that Pfizer did nothing to warn doctors and the public of the risks inherent in taking Zoloft while pregnant. Rather than warn doctors and patients of this risk one of the Zoloft birth defect lawsuits said “Pfizer’s sales force blitzed doctor’s offices with literature and verbal presentations designed to convince doctors and consumers that Zoloft was a superior drug for treatment of, among other things, depression during pregnancy.” All of the mothers acting as plaintiffs in these Zoloft birth defect lawsuits stated that if they had been informed that taking Zoloft while pregnant could result in their children developing life threatening birth defects they would have abstained from the SSRI antidepressant.

The Zoloft birth defect lawsuits were not filed as one Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit, a Zoloft heart defect class action lawsuit or as part of the Zoloft birth defect lawsuit multidistrict litigation (MDL.) The Zoloft birth defect lawsuit MDL puts all of the lawsuits filed in its court under the purview of one judge and a panel of plaintiff and defense attorneys. This can speed up the litigation process and allow hundreds, if not thousands, of Zoloft birth defect lawsuits to be litigated more efficiently which may lead to a faster Zoloft birth defect lawsuit settlement. Some Zoloft users instead opted to file a Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit which is currently being litigated. A Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit may not be in the best interest of everyone. Any Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit settlement could result in smaller payouts for victims of Zoloft birth defects. It’s important that if your child was born with a birth defect you speak with a qualified Zoloft birth defect attorney to determine what is best for you. This may be filing an individual Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer, joining the Zoloft birth defect lawsuit MDL or filing a Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit. If your baby was born with a birth defect and you were taking Zoloft, another antidepressant SSRI drug like Paxil, or any prescription medication you should speak with an experienced Zoloft Birth Defect attorney.

The parents are seeking damages in excess of $75,000. $75,000 is just a drop in the bucket in terms of their possible medical expenses as open heart surgery and care for an infant can easily run $100,000 or more. Once you add up the surgeries to treat Zoloft birth defects you may expect to see hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses, time away from work and other financial challenges. Recent birth defect settlements averaged more than $1.2 million per case for similar birth defects filed against another large antidepressant medication maker. There’s no telling if these Zoloft heart defect and birth defect lawsuits will settle or how much they would be awarded if that happens but one thing they don’t have to worry about is paying their Zoloft birth defect attorneys. If they don’t win, their birth defect lawyers don’t get paid. How’s that for motivation? The Zoloft birth defect lawyers are fighting for what they believe is justice as well as their paycheck.

If you would like more information about filing a Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit, you would like to contact a Zoloft birth defect attorney, or would like to file an individual Zoloft birth defect lawsuit just go to the Zoloft Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page. You can submit your information to attorneys who specialize in Zoloft related birth defect lawsuits, and other SSRI antidepressant drug birth defect lawsuits, that are actively investigating all claims regarding birth defects like Craniosynostosis, Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN), Atrial Septal Defects (ASD), ventricular septal defects (VSD), abdominal birth defects (omphalocele), cranial birth defects (craniosynotosis), aorta coarctation, hypoplastic right or left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries (TGA), tetralogy of fallot (TOF), spina bifida, Autism, club feet and other problems which may be attributed to Zoloft or another anti-depressant (SSRI) drug taken while pregnant. It is Pfizer’s responsibility to properly warn users of their drugs of the possibility of severe birth defects and if you feel you were not warned of the risk of birth defects an attorney may be able to help. Contact a Zoloft birth defect attorney now.

Updated July 2nd, 2012

{loadposition content_postads}

All medical device, dangerous drug and medical class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Drug and Medical Device section of Top Class Actions.

LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement

Various Trademarks held by their respective owners.