Zoloft Lawsuit Filed After Child is Born with Heart Defect
By Andrea Gressman
A mother has recently filed a birth defect lawsuit against the manufacturer of Zoloft claiming that the SSRI antidepressant caused her son’s congenital heart defect. The Zoloft lawsuit was filed on January 22, 2013 in Louisiana federal court. The plaintiff claims she took Zoloft during her pregnancy completely unaware of the birth defects that Zoloft can cause.
Details of the Zoloft Lawsuit
According to court documents, the Zoloft lawsuit plaintiff lives in Livingston Parrish, Louisiana. She was given a prescription for Zoloft while pregnant with her son. She claims she was never made aware of the fact that Zoloft could potentially cause her child to be born with birth defects if she used it during her pregnancy. The plaintiff gave birth to her son in 2007 and it was then discovered that he had a ventricular septal defect, the medical term for having a hole in the heart.
The plaintiff is now seeking compensation for the extensive medical bills that have been incurred during her son’s first five years of life.
Zoloft Birth Defects
Zoloft, also known as sertraline, has been classified as a SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. SSRI antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. This helps with depression because serotonin has been linked to increasing the “good feelings” a person experiences as well as creating emotional balance.
The drug received its U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1991 and it has been reported that Zoloft was the most commonly prescribed antidepressant in the U.S. by 2005. However, it has been determined that using Zoloft while being pregnant can result in a number of very serious birth defects. Some of these include the following:
- Atrial septal defect
- Ventricular septal defect
- Other cardiac defects
- Club foot
- Cleft lip
- Cleft palate
- Other limb abnormalities
- Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN)
- Spina bifida
- Craniosynostosis
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Patent ductus arteriosus
There has been hundreds of birth defect lawsuits filed across the United States by many families with similar stories as this Louisiana mother. They all make very similar allegations that they were not warned that taking SSRI antidepressants while pregnant could harm their developing child, resulting in one or more birth defects.
If you had a child that was born with a birth defect like one of the ones listed above and you believe it was caused by Zoloft or another SSRI antidepressant, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit of your own. It is important to seek the advice of a qualified birth defect attorney right away.
Visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation to submit your information for a free legal review. Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are standing by ready to hear the details of your case.
Updated March 13th, 2013
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.
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