Paxil, Paxil Oral Suspension, and Paxil-CR are trade names of the drug Paroxetine, which is a member of a class of drugs known as “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors” (SSRIs). A 2005 study based on 3,500 pregnant women, linked Paxil to twice as many birth defects compared to other antidepressants when taken during the first three months of pregnancy.

The birth defects identified in the study included congenital defects, heart defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), a potentially fatal disease.

If your child was born with birth defects and you were prescribed Paxil or other antidepressant drugs while pregnant, please contact our law firm to learn about your rights for no charge or obligation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration yesterday proposed a record civil penalty of $16.4 million, less than 2 percent of Toyota projected net profit for the year ending March 31, related to a January recall of 2.3 million U.S. autos for accelerator pedals that allegedly stick. Toyota failed to act in a timely manner after knowing of the problem since at least September 2009, LaHood said.

“It certainly bolsters our cases,” said Robert J. Nelson, a lawyer at San Francisco-based Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP, who has filed 20 lawsuits on behalf of individual clients claiming personal injuries or deaths caused by sudden- acceleration incidents. “It demonstrates Toyota has been less than forthright with the U.S. government and with consumers.”

The Japanese automaker waited at least four months before telling the agency that accelerator pedals might stick, LaHood said yesterday in a statement. Companies have five business days to report safety defects, the agency said.

Read the full article on the SF Gate website.

In their lawsuits, Andrew Flury of Pasadena and retired Army Col. Harry Williams of Woodbridge say they suffered severe injuries after the cars they were driving suddenly accelerated — an issue that generated a major recall of millions of Toyotas.

Their attorney, Todd Walburg of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, blamed an electronic throttle system for the unintended acceleration and said the system also operated without a brake override system that could have prevented throttle problems.

Read the full article on the Washington Post website. Learn more about Toyota sudden acceleration accidents and the rights of victims.

When the Sprint Fidelis leads fracture, the defibrillator can fail to send a needed electrical jolt, and the patient can die. Or the defibrillator can send repeated, massive shocks, which can themselves be fatal.

In March 2009, Medtronic disclosed that at least 13 Sprint Fidelis patients may have died, including four patients whose deaths were related to efforts by doctors to surgically remove the product. Today, the Wall Street Journal reported that the FDA database includes at least 12 additional deaths allegedly linked to the recalled device.

“The hazard of [Sprint] Fidelis lead fracture is increasing exponentially with time and, based on our data, occurring at a higher rate than the latest manufacturer’s performance update,” doctors at the University of Rochester concluded in findings published in the January 2010 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology [abstract only].

The study found that the three-year survival rate of 426 Medtronic leads inserted in the hospital’s patients was 90.8%, meaning 9.2% failed. In December 2009, one report estimated the failure rate of the Sprint Fidelis lead may eventually reach 30% of all patients.

Medtronic Heart Device Lawsuits

In lawsuits against Medtronic, patients represented by Lieff Cabraser have alleged that a design defect is responsible for their lead fractures. The complaints also allege that Medtronic failed to act timely as it knew of large numbers of failures of the device at least a year prior to issuing the recall. Learn more about the Medtronic heart lead recall.

Just over a year ago, one billion tons of toxic coal sludge broke loose from a containment pond belonging to the Tennessee Valley Authority, burying hundreds of acres of Roane County and threatening local water supplies and air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency immediately promised new national standards to replace a patchwork of uneven — and in many cases weak — state toxic materials regulations.

Unfortunately, the agency’s (non-public) recommendations are now the focus of a huge dispute inside the Obama administration, with industry lobbying hard for changes that would essentially preserve the status quo. The Times opines that the dispute should be resolved in favor of the environment and public safety.

Click here to read the full piece on the New York Times website. You can learn more about lawsuits relating to the Tennessee coal sludge spill here.

Ms. Fleishman also discusses the risks of these drugs in a YouTube video entitled:  Yaz | Yasmin Drug Side Effects & Dangers Explained

If you or a loved one have been injured or died as a result of taking Yaz or Yasmin, please visit Lieff Cabraser online at http://www.personalinjurylawyeramerica.com/medical/yasmin-yaz.htm or call us toll-free at 1-800-541-7358. Our personal injury attorneys and legal nurse consultants will promptly review your case for no charge or obligation on your part.

A California state appeals court earlier rejected Ford’s contention and upheld the award to Benetta Buell-Wilson. She was driving on an interstate east of San Diego in January 2002 when she swerved to avoid a metal object and lost control of her 1997 Explorer, which rolled 4 1/2 times. The mother of two was paralyzed from the waist down when the roof collapsed on her neck, severing her spine.

Read the full article on the San Jose Mercury News site.

On Friday, the jury in Kendall v. Wyeth awarded more than $6 million in compensatory damages to plaintiffs Donna Kendall and John Kendall Jr., their attorneys said. In the punitive damages part of the case decided Monday, the jury awarded $16 million against Wyeth, which is now owned by Pfizer, and $12 million against Pharmacia & Upjohn, which also is now owned by Pfizer. The total verdict adds up to more than $34 million.

Read the full article on law.com.

“While prescribed Yaz, my daughter developed several pulmonary emboli, which obstructed her pulmonary artery and caused her to suffer cardiac arrest. My baby was dead for almost three minutes,” stated Dana Kraus. “She was in excellent health prior to taking Yaz. This was a terrifying experience. We almost lost her. We were so lucky. The doctors at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh were able to save her life.” Pulmonary emboli are blood clots in the lungs that can lead to abnormally low blood pressure and sudden death.

“As alleged in the Complaint, Yaz is a dangerous prescription drug sold without adequate warnings about the risks of serious and fatal injuries,” stated attorney Wendy R. Fleishman. “Bayer failed to warn doctors and patients that Yaz poses a greater risk of serious side than previous generations of oral contraceptives.”

Atkinson, age 33 of Rock Hill, South Carolina, charges that Yaz is a dangerous prescription drug sold without adequate warnings about the risk of serious injuries. Atkinson further alleges that Bayer improperly advertised and over-promoted Yaz for uses such as treating acne, knowing that the risks of such use outweighed any benefits Yaz may have for acne sufferers.

Learn more….