PROTECTING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS

August, 2022 Consumer Update

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Nursing home abuses continue to be revealed as vulnerable residents are still falling prey to staff members in whom their care was entrusted.

One of the latest and most shocking incidents – similar to those in nursing home abuse lawsuits being filed across the country – occurred in San Diego as revealed by an investigation by television station KPBS:

“KPBS’s stories on a series of sexual assaults in local facilities laid bare lax oversight. An accused sexual predator was allowed to continue to work inside nursing homes even as the state investigated him for violating women in his care. Soon after the stories aired, the man was arrested and charged. In March 2022, a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting a nursing home resident.”

If you or a loved one has been abused or injured in a nursing home, protect your legal rights to seek compensation for injuries, medical treatments and pain and suffering. Click on https://www.injuryhelpdesk.com/free-case-evaluations-now-available-for-nursing-home-negligence-and-abuse-victims/

The station’s investigation spotlighted the complete vulnerability of men and women who have been place in long-term care centers and noted that the dangers have significantly increased as COVID-19 aftereffects stressed the facilities.

“Stories on high case numbers, poor infection control and staffing shortages led to other pieces. KPBS launched investigations into how nursing homes’ financial statements are manipulated, creating false images of quality care while masking big profits for owners,”

the station reported.

Well over two million men and women in their retirement years are now housed in such facilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but understaffing, abuse and negligence have generated a wave of nursing home negligence lawsuits.

Additionally, the problem of nursing home negligence has been dramatically escalated by the arrival of the new coronavirus, Covid-19.

If you or a loved one are the victim of injury or abuse because of the actions of a caregiver or nursing home facility, there are now legal options available through the network of specialized lawyers available through Injury Help Desk.

The following is a list of the most common types of nursing home lawsuits that the national network of attorneys at Injury Help Desk is investigating:

• Physical abuse
• Mental abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Financial abuse
• Neglect
• Negligence of care
• Medical malpractice
• Medication errors
• Wrongful death
• Substandard hiring practices
• Understaffing
• Substandard training of staff
• Breach of statutory or regulatory rights

If you or a loved one has been a victim of any of those factors, contact the national network of specialized lawyers available through Injury Help Desk as soon as possible because beginning an investigation early to gather evidence early is critical in a nursing home negligence case.

Contact us for a free case analysis of your nursing home negligence case as soon as possible to initiate aggressive representation to seek compensation for which you or a loved one may be eligible.

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson was unsuccessful in appealing a California court ruling that will force the company to pay $302 million in penalties after a finding that it deceptively marketed pelvic mesh implants for women.

The court file shows that J&J originally was ordered to pay $342 million to the state but that amount was reduced by an appeals court that recently ruled a lower court was correct in penalizing the company’s subsidiary, Ethicon.

More than 100,000 women have filed suits in federal court and thousands more in state courts claiming that the products were defective and caused severe pain, bleeding, infections, discomfort during intercourse and the need for removal surgery.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries from transvaginal mesh implants, they protect your legal rights to seek compensation for injuries, medical treatments and pain and suffering.Click on https://www.injuryhelpdesk.com/free-legal-consultations-for-vaginal-mesh-lawsuits/ 

J&J and other transvaginal mesh manufacturers have so far agreed or been forced to pay billions of dollars to tens of thousands of victims in the massive litigation.

Among the allegations in the California case, according to the court file, is that J&J’s subsidiary misled physicians and consumers in sales pitches, advertisements and instructional brochures about the safety of the devices.

The allegations contained in these lawsuits are heartbreaking to read as women claim short and long-term physical harm ranging from pain, infections, perforations, sterility, bleeding and autoimmune system complications.

Although these vaginal mesh lawsuits can date back to over a decade ago, there is still time for other women who suffered serious complications to come forth and seek compensation for their suffering, according to the national network of attorneys available through Injury Help Desk.

However, there may be legal time limits that could adversely affect your ability to collect damages for any injuries suffered, so please act immediately for a free consultation by contacting the national network of experienced lawyers available through Injury Help Desk.

The Food and Drug Administration was forced to take action over transvaginal mesh health problems and on April 16, 2019, issued this order:

“The FDA ordered all manufacturers of surgical mesh intended for transvaginal repair of anterior compartment prolapse (cystocele) to stop selling and distributing their products immediately. The FDA has determined that the manufacturers, Boston Scientific and Coloplast, have not demonstrated reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for these devices, which is the premarket standard that now applies to them since the agency reclassified them into class III (high risk) in 2016.”

Nearly 1,200 Paragard IUD lawsuits have now been filed in a huge multi-district litigation action on behalf of women who have suffered serious injuries after using the contraceptive.

The Paragard IUD was designed to be inserted into the uterus as a long-term, but reversible, type of contraceptive. However, according to this growing number of lawsuits, many of the devices fractured, causing serious injuries to the victims.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries from a Paragard IUD protect your legal rights to seek compensation for your injuries, medical treatments and pain and suffering. Click on https://www.injuryhelpdesk.com/paragard-iud-lawsuit  for help.

Skilled attorneys are continuing to gather evidence in these cases and court files show that even as the number of cases increases, there has been substantial progress toward trials being held.

Recent filings in the massive federal court litigation also show that discovery, or the gathering of evidence, continues to be on track as new lawsuits are filed.

The Paragard IUD is a small piece of flexible plastic coated in copper and implanted in the uterus by a medical professional. According to the manufacturer’s description, this device is over 90% effective in preventing pregnancy and can provide these effects for up to ten years.

Paragard IUDs were originally created by the Teva Pharmaceuticals Company. In 207, Teva Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Cooper Industries for $1.1 billion.

The Paragard device was approved by the FDA in 1984 and was marketed soon thereafter. Since this time, Paragard IUDs have been recommended for widespread use. Today, this is the only copper IUD available for use in the U.S. and, unlike other IUDs like Mirena, is hormone-free.

This device works by releasing small amounts of copper into the uterus over long periods of time. It is believed that this helps to prevent sperm from inseminating the egg and thereby preventing pregnancy. Furthermore, the Paragard IUD can cause changes in the uterine wall and this reduces the risks of implantation.

DANGERS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PARAGARD

Unfortunately, there has been a series of problems with this seemingly perfect solution. There have been some negative side effects associated with the insertion of Paragard IUDs. Some of these can include:

• Severe menstrual pain
• Spotting or bleeding between periods
• Cramps
• Back pain
• Stomach pain
• Longer and heavier menstrual periods

The device has also been known to cause inflammatory diseases in the pelvis. This is a type of infection that has been found to occur within 20 days of insertion and affects the uterus or other reproductive organs. Antibiotics are most often prescribed to address this condition. Nevertheless, the condition can result in other serious health problems such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pains, and even death.

Women who have used the copper Paragard IUD have been found at a greater risk of experiencing negative side effects in comparison to those that use other types of IUDs. A study found that 10.2% of women who have used these copper IUDs experienced an expulsion of the device or the device being completely ejected from the body. Only 4.9% of Mirena users have experienced this.

Full or partial expulsion of the IUD may require surgery to completely remove the device, which would make it useless in its designed purpose.

Some of the other dangers associated with the removal of the Paragard IUD are:

• Hysterectomy
• Scarring of the uterus
• Injury and inflammation as a reaction to copper in the body
• Device fractures during surgery
• Migration of the device and potential for organ damage Perforated uterine wall
• Device becoming embedded inside the uterus

Families across the nation have been severely affected and concerned about the recent shortages and availability of baby formula products. This is the most recent update from the federal agency about what it’s doing about this serious issue.

Recently, the FDA warned consumers not to use certain powdered infant formula products from Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan infant formula production facility.

As a result of the warning, Abbott voluntarily ceased production at the facility and began a voluntary recall of the products. What followed was a near-panic over hardships of obtaining infant formula the FDA said was intensified because of overall strains on supply chains experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If your family has an infant who has suffered serious health problems from baby formula shortages or any other defective product protect your possible legal rights to compensation by contacting Injuryhelpdesk.com to see if you qualify for a free consultation.

“We know the recall and facility shutdown have created hardships in obtaining infant formula, particularly given the overall strains on supply chains experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic,”

the agency said. The FDA now says it

 “continues to work around the clock with our government partners and industry to ensure there’s adequate infant formula available wherever and whenever parents and caregivers need it. More infant formula will be available in the weeks and months ahead.”

The FDA also recommended other feeding options as well as checking with health care providers for recommendations on changing feeding practices.

Here’s the latest update from the FDA this month on its efforts to increase supply:

1. Working with current infant formula producers that service the U.S. market to increase production. This includes working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to use the Defense Production Act to ensure ingredients are available to sustain this production.
2. Exercising flexibility by allowing the import of certain infant formula products from abroad will result in millions of cans of infant formula being available on U.S. store shelves beginning in June 2022.
3. Working closely with U.S. partners and domestic and international manufacturers to immediately increase the availability of specialized medical infant formula available in the U.S.
4. Working with Abbott Nutrition under a consent decree to ensure Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan facility resumes production in a safe and sanitary manner.
5. Sharing tips with consumers on how to safely prepare imported infant formula. We’ll continue to monitor this important issue and provide further updates from the FDA.

The manufacturers of the popular herbicide Roundup have so far paid nearly $11 billion to victims who filed lawsuits over their severe health problems or over deaths of loved ones from exposure to the dangerous chemicals in the product.

Most recent court records show that more lawsuits are being filed against pharmaceutical giant Bayer, the manufacturer of Roundup since 2018, when it acquired the product from Monsanto.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or death from exposure to Roundup, protect your legal rights to seek compensation for your injuries, medical treatments and pain and suffering. Click on https://www.injuryhelpdesk.com/roundup-lawsuits for help.

A staggering number of over 100,000 Roundup lawsuits have been filed, mostly over claims of exposure to the product causing cancer, such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, according to the most recent national court figures.

One Roundup lawsuit that reached trial has resulted in a $289 million verdict to a California man who blamed his non-Hodgkin lymphoma on exposure to the herbicide. Other Roundup lawsuits have resulted in awards of up to $2 billion. Such figures do not include settlements, which, generically, include the vast majority of cases that settle out of court rather than go to trial.

Symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma include abdominal pain or swelling, swollen lymph nodes in the armpits, groin or neck, fever, chest pain, breathing problems, night sweats and constant fatigue.

WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS IN A ROUNDUP LAWSUIT?

One of the experienced lawyers at Injury Help Desk can fully inform you of the legal issues involved in these cases but the court files in these cases show these central allegations:

Monsanto’s marketing campaign touted the highly popular Roundup as having an active ingredient – glyphosate – that would target an enzyme found only in plants. This is false, according to the allegations, and unsuspecting victims trusting these claims wound up developing cancer. Monsanto failed to adequately test the safety of the product.

Monsanto withheld important information about the dangers to humans from use of the product. Monsanto deliberately avoided adding a cancer warning to the Roundup label.

Three of the nearly 1,400 Elmiron vision loss and blindness lawsuits filed in a massive class action lawsuit have been scheduled to go to trial early next year with the first case set for January 2023.

Millions of Americans use Elmiron, produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, to relieve symptoms of chronic bladder conditions but a huge number of lawsuits have been filed claiming horrific side effects of blindness or serious vision loss.

The cases selected by a federal judge in the massive litigation will serve as so-called bellwether cases in which both the plaintiffs and the defendants test the strengths and weaknesses of their cases.

As this litigation proceeds, there is still time to file a claim or lawsuit.

If you or a loved one was one of the growing number of victims who suffered vision loss or blindness from the use of Elmiron, protect your legal rights to seek compensation for your injuries, medical treatments and pain and suffering by clicking on https://www.injuryhelpdesk.com/elmiron-lawsuits 

There have long been adverse reports about Elmiron side effects but the seriousness of the problem was brought to public attention by a 2019 research paper produced by independent physicians at Kaiser Permanente.

According to a paper presented to the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the researchers found that about one-quarter of patients with significant exposure to Elmiron showed definite signs of eye damage, and that this medication toxicity could masquerade as other known retinal conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration or pattern dystrophy.

“It’s unfortunate,” said Dr. Robin Vora, one of the presenters. “You have a patient with a chronic condition like interstitial cystitis, for which there is no cure and no effective treatment. They get put on these medications because they are thought to have few side effects and few risks, and no one thinks about it again. And year after year, the number of pills they’re taking goes up and up.”

The FDA approved Elmiron in 1985 for the bladder condition now believed to affect as many as one million Americans, with the majority of those suffering from the condition being women. Here are the most common symptoms reported by Elmiron patients who have reported eye damage:

• Blurred vision
• Difficulty in reading
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty adapting to dim lighting
• Night blindness
• Dark spots
• Colors appearing less vivid
• Curved or squiggly straight lines
• Blindness

If you or a loved one has developed such symptoms or been diagnosed with retina damage, blindness or other eye diseases after long-term use of Elmiron, legal help is now available.

Preserve your legal rights to compensation for this terrible eye problem by immediately contacting the national network of specialized attorneys at Injury Help Desk  to allow them to aggressively pursue an Elmiron claim, lawsuit or settlement now.

Who doesn’t enjoy relaxing or frolicking in the surf at the beach or poolside in the backyard during the lazy days of summer?

All that fun can be tragically spoiled if you don’t take measures to protect your skin by monitoring your exposure to the sunshine and utilizing the safety provided by liberal use of sunscreen.

The National Center for Environmental Health has just released a warning about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunshine and, to the surprise of many, tanning beds.

The federal agency also recommends that people protect themselves year-round by utilizing shade, clothing and sunblock with a sun protection faction of at least 15.

Be aware that there may also be personal hazards from some sunscreens such as Neutrogena, which has had product recalls over concerns about cancer-causing ingredients.

If you or a loved one has developed cancer or suffered serious medical problems as a result of using sunscreen or any other product, go to injuryhelpdesk.com and see whether you are eligible for a free consultation about your legal rights to seek compensation.

While sunshine does provide the benefit of producing Vitamin D, which assists us in absorbing calcium and phosphorus from food that aids in bone development, there are serious risks to overexposure.

Here are the major risks, as provided by the federal health agency:

Sunburn is a sign of short-term overexposure, while premature aging and skin cancer are side effects of prolonged UV exposure.

UV exposure increases the risk of potentially blinding eye diseases if eye protection is not used.

Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to serious health issues, including cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. Typically, they form on the head, face, neck, hands, and arms because these body parts are the most exposed to UV radiation. Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to UV radiation.

Anyone can have harmful health effects from UV radiation, but the risks increase in people who:

• Spend a lot of time in the sun or have been sunburned.
• Have light-colored skin, hair, and eyes.
• Take some types of oral and topical medicines, such as antibiotics, birth control pills, and benzoyl peroxide products, as well as some cosmetics, may increase skin and eye sensitivity to UV in all skin types.
• Have a family member with skin cancer.
• Are over age 50.

The agency recommends the following protective measures:

• Stay in the shade, especially during the midday hours.
• Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs.
• Consider options to protect your children.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.
• Use sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher, for both UVA and UVB protection.
• Avoid indoor tanning. Indoor tanning is particularly dangerous for younger users; people who begin indoor tanning during adolescence or early adulthood have a higher risk of developing melanoma.