Subscribe to Posts (RSS) and Comments (RSS)

September 2007

Monthly Archive

Paxil® Attorneys in California Help Deal With Insurance

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 8:46 AM, Friday Sep 28th, 2007

Dealing with health insurance carriers under normal circumstances can be trying; but negotiating the complexities of insurance can be even more difficult when a crisis has presented itself. Labor and delivery is an expense we all anticipate when we are pregnant. But when a baby is born with a medical issue, the expense of it can overwhelm us at an already devastating time.

One such medical issue associated with newborns – Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN) – has been recently connected to the mother’s use of Paxil® during pregnancy. Paxil® is an otherwise safe and effective Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that is widely prescribed in this country to treat depression and anxiety. But for some time Paxil® was also considered to be quite safe during pregnancy until its manufacturer alerted doctors to the possibility that certain birth defects – including PPHN – were connected to its use. Mothers who have given birth to children with PPHN – and were not cautioned against taking Paxil® during pregnancy – often turn to Paxil® attorneys in California to assist them in pursing the matter legally.

Paxil® attorneys in California can help a client identify a clear pattern of liability if liability exists; as well as assist them in gathering the materials associated with their case including medical records associated with their care and medical expenses connected with the baby’s care. Further, Paxil® attorneys in California can help deal with the insurance company to help mitigate their client’s out of pocket expenses while their case is pending.

Popularity: 62% [?]

PPHN And Drug Manufacturer Responsibility

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 5:20 PM, Thursday Sep 27th, 2007

Paxil® use is widespread in this country as it has proved enormously effective in treating depression and anxiety. Paxil® is part of the family of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) known to be effective and generally safe with minimal to no side effects. However, in recent years Paxil®’s manufacturer informed the medical community of a close association between Paxil® use during pregnancy and a variety of birth defects including Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN). PPHN is a serious condition effecting newborns during which blood continues to bypass their lungs even after birth; consequently their blood does not become oxygenated and oxygen is not delivered to the rest of the body. PPHN can be life threatening and certainly makes for an unnerving time in the labor and delivery room.

Some families affected by PPHN that used Paxil® during their pregnancies have called upon Paxil® attorneys in California to help bring the drug’s manufacturer to task. Paxil® attorneys in California can file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer for distributing a product that could result in injury or death. In the case of Paxil®, doctors did not caution their patients against taking the drug because many were not yet aware of the manufacturer’s findings.

Paxil® attorneys in California can help guide their clients through the ensuring legalities – a technical and complex process as is often the case with pharmaceutical law. More than anything, for those families affected by PPHN, Paxil® attorneys in California can help restore a sense of control in a chaotic time and offer peace of mind when it comes to their financial concerns.

Popularity: 83% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys in California Seek Damages

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 10:10 AM, Monday Sep 24th, 2007

The birth of a baby is a joyous time for all involved; one that many people wait years and years to experience. But when a baby is born with a serious birth defect the moment of birth is irrevocably marred as parents are immediately launched into feelings of anxiety and terror. And when such medical issues could have been avoided, the feelings of grief are often compounded by outrage. Such may be the case for some women who have taken Paxil® during their pregnancy and are just now realizing the consequences of this decision.

Paxil® is an effective antidepressant therapy prescribed by doctors on a daily basis. But until very recently it was not known that Paxil® could increase the incidence of birth defects; birth defects such as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN, a serious respiratory condition in newborn babies. When it was discovered that Paxil® was associated with birth defects such as PPHN, consumers began filing product liability lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer. A product liability lawsuit is a lawsuit filed against a manufacturer who has produced and distributed a product that has resulted in injury or death.

In filing these product liability lawsuits with Paxil® attorneys in California, many claimants are interested in understanding their rights to monetary damages. It is the job of Paxil® attorneys in California to work with their clients to establish the circumstances surrounding their particular case. Depending on the circumstances, restitution can be sought for medical expenses, ongoing medical care or therapy, and even punitive damages for pain and suffering, among other things.

Popularity: 52% [?]

Filing A Product Liability Lawsuit With Paxil® Attorneys In California

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 8:14 AM, Saturday Sep 22nd, 2007

Paxil® is an incredibly effective part of the family of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) – a prescription medication that helps its users battle anxiety and depression. But while Paxil® has been shown to have significant benefits for its users under average circumstances, it has shown to be far less trustworthy when taken during pregnancy. In fact, up until 2005 Paxil®’s manufacturer remained silent on the drug’s possible repercussions for pregnant women – and more specifically, the unborn child. Then in 2005, Paxil®’s manufacturer released a statement to medical practitioners revealing that Paxil® taken during pregnancy was in fact linked to a higher than average incidence of serious birth defects.

One such birth defect is Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN, a critical condition wherein a newborn’s blood is stopped from reaching the lungs and oxygenating the blood. In fact, it has been shown that the rate of PPHN is six times more likely for those women who take Paxil® after the twentieth week of pregnancy.

Not surprisingly, such information has resulted in increased product liability lawsuits in regard to Paxil®. Product liability lawsuits refer to those lawsuits brought against manufacturers of products that have caused death or injury because of defects or harmful material inherent in the product.

Women who took Paxil® during their pregnancy because they were not warned of the possible consequences – and whose child then suffered birth defects such as PPHN – have sought Paxil® attorneys in California to assist them in examining the details of their case and determining possible liability.

Popularity: 58% [?]

Parents Want Drug Companies To Take Responsibility For PPHN

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 2:02 PM, Friday Sep 21st, 2007

Mother-to-be Kimberly Dismuke, pregnant during 2000, wanted to ensure that her pregnancy was healthy and that she was doing everything in her power to make certain that both she and her baby were healthy all the way up to – and through – delivery. While Kimberly had been taking heart medication, she stopped this medication upon learning that she was pregnant – at the urging of her doctor. However, at that time, Kimberly was also taking Paxil® - a brand of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) used to manage anxiety and depression. Kimberly’s doctor did not advise against continuing to take Paxil® during her pregnancy. When Kimberly’s daughter was born it became evident that a severe heart defect would require her to undergo surgery – which she did several times during her first year of life.

In this case, Paxil® use was linked with the birth defect of Kimberly’s daughter; a revelation that occurred when Paxil®’s manufacturer – GlaxoSmithKline – released a statement in 2005 citing the drug’s connection with higher than average incidences of heart and other congenital defects, as well as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN – a serious birth defect wherein the newborn’s blood is obstructed from reaching the lungs and oxygenating the blood. Upon learning of the drug’s obvious connections with birth defects, Kimberly and her husband engaged the services of an attorney and filed a product liability lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline.

As more and more parents and children are affected by Paxil® use and suffer the ramifications of serious birth defects such as PPHN, lawsuits are continuing to be waged against pharmaceutical companies. Paxil® attorneys in California work with clients to weed through the extensive information inherent to pharmaceutical lawsuits and assist them in seeking restitution for their medical and emotional suffering.

Popularity: 100% [?]

Paxil® Use In Early And Late Pregnancy And PPHN

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 8:20 AM, Thursday Sep 20th, 2007

The world of antidepressants continues to evolve as new information is revealed nearly on a daily basis. While such medications are highly effective in achieving the goals for which they are prescribed, some have been shown to have great risk in some particular situations, including pregnancy. For instance, some women who took Paxil® during their pregnancy were later found to have a higher instance of giving birth to a child affected with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN – a rare but serious ailment that obstructs a newborn baby’s blood from reaching its lungs and thus oxygenating its blood.

PPHN is just now beginning to really reach the level wherein medical professionals are taking notice of its connection with Paxil®. Certainly Paxil® is not the only Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) associated with birth defects resulting from the mothers taking the drug during pregnancy. Quite a few have been linked to low birth weight, higher instance of prematurity, and heart and cranial birth defects.

But those women who used Paxil® during the first trimester of pregnancy were shown to have a higher than average incidence of birth defects. Paxil® taken during the second or third trimester – after the twenty week mark - has been shown to significantly increase the chances of PPHN in the newborn. In fact, studies of Paxil® use during this time in pregnancy have shown that women are nearly six times as likely to have a child affected by PPHN.

Parents of children affected by PPHN may turn to Paxil® attorneys in California to help guide them through the legalities of a birth defect or product liability lawsuit. A lawsuit of this kind may be brought against drug manufacturers or those medical professionals that prescribed – or did not caution against - Paxil® during pregnancy.

Popularity: 49% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys in California Work For The Smallest Victims

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 2:40 PM, Wednesday Sep 19th, 2007

Paxil® Attorneys in California Work For The Smallest Victims

Today’s society has embraced the use of pharmaceutical medications like never before – a reality that has had both positive and negative consequences. While we can most certainly consider ourselves lucky to have access to life altering – and even life saving – medications, in some cases drugs are prescribed with insufficient attention given to the possible ramifications.

One such drug is Paxil® – an oft prescribed antidepressant that is used to treat depression, anxiety, and panic disorder in millions of people. Paxil® is part of a group of similar drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors – or SSRIs; a class of antidepressants that works to balance our body’s level of serotonin – the chemical that regulates our moods and response to environmental stressors.

Paxil® – like many SSRIs – has been shown to be quite effective in this regard; but, there are still side effects that must be considered, especially when it comes to taking Paxil® during pregnancy – specifically the possibility of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN.

While in the womb, a baby does not utilize its lungs; instead oxygen is supplied through the umbilical cord directly from the mother’s placenta. Further, the pulmonary artery which would normally transport blood from the heart to the lungs sends the blood back to the heart utilizing a blood vessel known as the ductus arteriosus.

During the birthing process, the baby’s body is adapting second by second to changing conditions; when the newborn takes its first breath, air enters the lungs for the first time, the ductus arteriosis closes permanently, and blood begins being pumped between the heart and lungs. When a baby suffers PPHN, however, the ductus arteriosis does not close and blood does not reach the lungs. The end result is that the blood does not become oxygenated as it should.

Although a rare development, PPHN can be life-threatening for a newborn. SSRIs such as Paxil® - when taken during pregnancy - have been shown to be directly related to PPHN. This is because SSRIs can often increase pressure in blood vessels so that the ductus arteriosis is not able to close as it should.

Representing the parents of such children who have suffered PPHN due to Paxil® use are Paxil® attorneys who are experienced in negotiating the often complex world of drug side effects.

Paxil® attorneys in California work with up-to-the-minute information regarding PPHN and SSRIs. If you or someone you know live in the California area, took Paxil® during their pregnancy, and have had an experience with PPHN, be sure to seek the professional guidance of Paxil® attorneys in California who can help you explore the legal options open to you.

Popularity: 51% [?]

Paxil® And Pregnancy May Equal PPHN

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 2:14 PM, Tuesday Sep 18th, 2007

A great debate has raged for some time regarding the use of antidepressants during pregnancy. On one hand was the concern over how untreated depression could impact an otherwise healthy pregnancy; on the other, the concern over how antidepressants themselves could impact the unborn child. Current evidence seems to suggest that the drugs themselves are connected to a number of birth defects, including Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN, a rare but life-threatening condition that affects the newborn’s ability to oxygenate its own blood.

PPHN – among the other side effects associated with Paxil® and other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), including low birth weight and premature birth – have begun to be investigated by attorneys that represent clients that have been affected. Such clients were advised to treat their depression with the taking of Paxil® throughout their pregnancy, and they feel that the birth defects that presented at delivery were connected to taking the SSRIs.

For those who live on the west coast, there are reputable Paxil® attorneys in California that are experienced in legally pursuing the connection between Paxil and PPHN. With the assistance of Paxil® attorneys in California, those who took Paxil® during their pregnancy -and whose newborn experienced birth issues because of it, including PPHN - can explore the options available to them, including financial restitution for medical costs and the like.

Popularity: 50% [?]

Finding Reputable Paxil® Attorneys in California

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 9:03 AM, Monday Sep 17th, 2007

The day a baby is born should be a time of great joy and excitement. But when problems arise during delivery, it turns a moment that should be joyous into one of fear and confusion. Faced with birth defects as a result of medication taken during pregnancy, many parents are filled with guilt and anger, especially when that medication was said to be safe for their developing child. Antidepressants such as Paxil® – while they can manage anxiety and depression throughout the pregnancy – can also have adverse side effects for the newborn, including birth defects that can affect the heart and brain. One such side effect that is linked to Paxil® use during pregnancy is Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN.

PPHN can affect the newborn’s ability to pump blood to the lungs and as a result the blood does not become oxygenated. Parents of newborns with PPHN are often left to wonder what caused the condition. When it is discovered that the mother’s Paxil® use may be to blame, legal ramifications may ensue.

Paxil® attorneys in California are well-versed in the minutiae of antidepressants – including the side effects associated with them. Reputable attorneys can help parents sort through the extraordinary amount of technical information associated with such a case, assist them in dealing with the insurance companies, and help determine if financial restitution is in order.

In order to find reputable Paxil® attorneys in California, the Internet can offer a starting point. Those attorneys that specialize in pharmaceutical cases offer specific services and their experience and knowledge in this arena is imperative. So beyond finding an initial list of Paxil® attorneys in California, it is best to focus in on one or two in which you are interested and research each firm’s history, reputation, and experience in dealing with such matters.

Popularity: 45% [?]

Filing A Claim With Paxil® Attorneys In California

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 8:32 AM, Saturday Sep 15th, 2007

For those who suffer depression, the modern day medications that are available have transformed the way they live. Depression no longer means a life relegated to unpredictability and anxiety. Pharmaceuticals have opened up whole new worlds for those who deal with depression on a daily basis. Adults who take such medications balance the benefits of feeling better with the negatives of possible side effects, and more often than not the benefits outweigh the risks. But less is known about the effects of taking antidepressants during pregnancy. And women, told that it is best to manage their depression throughout the pregnancy, continue to take their medication. Unfortunately, more information continues to surface regarding the taking of antidepressants – particularly Paxil® – during pregnancy.

Paxil® - along with other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) – has been connected to a number of birth defects including premature birth, low birth weight, and heart, cranial, and abdominal birth defects. SSRIs have been shown to be connected to Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns or PPHN – a rare but critical condition that hinders the newborn’s blood from reaching the lungs and oxygenating the blood.

Parents who deal with the ramifications of Paxil® use during pregnancy may be faced with a long road of medical care and emotional stress. Paxil® attorneys in California can assist parents who are in this position with determining viability for a legal claim. If viability is determined, Paxil® attorneys in California can lead claimants through the legal process, establishing liability and helping to build a case accordingly.

Popularity: 46% [?]

Next Page »

About:

  • PPHN, Persistent pulmonary hypertension is when a newborn's arteries to the lungs remain constricted after delivery, often caused by antidepressants and other drugs. PPHN attorneys can help with lawsuits related to PPHN.

Recent Posts:

Categories:

Monthly Archives:

RSS:



Subscribe in NewsGator Online
Subscribe in Bloglines
Add to Attensa

Subscribe:

    Enter your email address:


Disclaimer:

    This Blog/Website deals with issues and news relating to SSRI-antidepressants such as Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Lexapro and PPHN (Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn) and the cases that result. It is written and published by non-legal professionals to be informative and educational. It does not provide specific legal advice nor is it intended to create an attorney client relationship. The Blog/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.