Product Liability Law: Zoloft Birth Defects

Zoloft (Sertraline) is an SSRI used to treat depression, OCD, anxiety, and a variety of other mental illnesses.

Recently a link has been discovered between the use of Zoloft and birth defects in the children of women who took the drug during pregnancy. A number of various birth defects have been found to occur as a result of taking Zoloft, yet the manufacturing company refuses to take responsibility.

The following article from DrugWatch.com describes the side effects found in children whose mothers took Zoloft during pregnancy. Learn what you can do in order to get justice from Pfizer, the producer of Zoloft. If you child has been affected, you do not to stand idly by as their life is negatively changed by this drug.

Zoloft Lawsuit and Birth Defect Information

Pfizer introduced the prescription drug Zoloft to the market in 1991. Thanks in part to its popular bouncing ball ads, Zoloft became one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants available in the United States. In recent years, however, the prescription drug has been linked to dangerous side effects, including birth defects.

You may have a legal claim if you or a loved one has suffered serious side effects, or if your child was born with birth defects following Zoloft use. A prescription drug lawyer may be able to help you obtain damages, including compensation for your medical bills.

What Is Zoloft?

Zoloft is also known by its generic name, sertraline hydrochloride. It belongs to a group of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs are used to control chemicals in the brain that affect mental balance. As a result, Zoloft is prescribed as a treatment for conditions including clinical depression, panic, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder.

However, the drug also carries serious risks. During the 1990s, concerns emerged that the drug led to increased thoughts of suicide and violent behavior. Pfizer faced lawsuits over increased suicide risks. Use of the prescription drug became an issue in a high-profile murder case involving a South Carolina teen.

More recently, Zoloft and other SSRIs have been linked to birth defects in children born to women who take the prescriptions before or during pregnancy.

Birth Defects: Why People Sue for Zoloft Injuries

People turn to prescription drugs like Zoloft to improve their well-being. However, when drug manufacturers fail to warn about a drug’s dangers, innocent consumers can suffer devastating effects.

Among the most devastating are the following birth defects that have been linked to Zoloft:

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• Atrial septal defects (ASD)
• Ventricular septal defects (VSD)
• Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN)
• Omphalocele (an abdominal defect)
• Craniosynotostosis (skull defects)
• Tetralogy of fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Club feet
• Spina bifida
• Congenital heart defects

These conditions are potentially life-threatening. Understandably, parents of children who suffer these injuries experience heartache and mental anguish. In addition, they face the substantial medical expenses of treating congenital deformities. Attending to their child’s medical needs can lead to lost wages and make it even harder for parents to meet these financial burdens.

For these reasons, many are filing lawsuits against Pfizer seeking compensation to help with medical bills, continuing care for their child, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. In some cases, juries may award punitive damages to discourage drug manufacturers from exposing the public to these types of adverse effects.

Filing a Claim for Zoloft Injuries

Drugmakers have a duty to test their products for health risks and warn the public. When they fail in these duties, they face legal liability for the injuries they cause. Pfizer currently faces legal liability.

Thousands of people may have legal claims against Pfizer due to Zoloft injuries. Many have already filed lawsuits. In 2012, a federal judicial panel transferred federal Zoloft cases to Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) No. 2342. The cases will be heard by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. More than 100 Zoloft birth defect cases are currently pending in that court.

If you or your child has been injured by Zoloft, it is a good idea to speak to a prescription drug attorney as soon as possible. The law limits that amount of time you have to bring a claim. A qualified dangerous-drug lawyer can help you find out if you have a claim.

While many people depend on antidepressants to improve their quality of life, taking Zoloft during pregnancy is a dangerous risk to the health of the fetus. The drug can cause not only birth defects, but a lifetime of pain for the children and parents involved. Pfizer should be accountable for this devastating train of events.

If you or someone you know has a child injured by Zoloft, contact Bander, Bander & Alves, your premier product liability attorneys.