Avandia Settlement – Avoid Long Drawn Avandia Battle

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 at 7:13 pm

Avandia Settlement

Avandia settlement started with the first lawsuit that was to go on trial somewhere in June 2010. That lawsuit was filed in Philadelphia by the family members of James Burford who passed away due to heart attack in 2006; the family claimed that he could have been saved if the company, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), had forewarned the users of Avandia side effects. The lawsuit was settled minutes before it was due to go on trial.

Two other suits filed by the same attorneys representing other victims of Avandia were also settled by GSK before being committed to trial.

Why Avandia Settlement?

If Avandia was as safe as claimed by GSK, then there was no reason for the company to agree to Avandia settlements. Instead, the company could prove its stand, and by stroke of one verdict, they stood to dismiss so many other similar suits filed since the first one. Is it all that hunky-dory for the reputed pharmaceutical company?

Experts claim that the Avandia settlement allowed GlaxoSmithKline to bypass the trial by jury which could have resulted in massive punitive damages to the company if proved right.

Let us start from the beginning.

Avandia Settlement : Avandia Victims have a Strong Case

Avandia was put in the market to treat serious cases of type 2 diabetes. During course of its use, many instances of grave Avandia side effects had been reported. It became center of attraction for many medical experts who too believed in possible harmful effects. A study in 2007 suggested strong link between Avandia and cardiovascular complications.

In the same year, the company admitted first of the Avandia side effects – weakening of bones in the limbs especially among women users. The FDA also recorded that over 83,000 Avandia patients had suffered heart attacks due to the use of the drug.

FDA had, from time to time, imposed restrictions, each one stricter than the previous one encouraging more users of Avandia, who suffered side effects, out in open to file lawsuits against the company. Experts strongly feel that GSK had deliberately tried to hide the side effects for over 8 -10 years.

While GSK initially refused to acknowledge the role of Avandia in so many Avandia side effects, their nervousness gave way as the days of trial came near. Avandia settlement seemed to be the best way out.

Wave OF Avandia Settlements

Since the first three Avandia settlements, it soon became clear that GSK was not inclined to go in for full blown trial. By mid-May 2010, Bloomberg reported Avandia settlements with about 700 plaintiffs involving about $60 million.

By then many Avandia lawsuits had been filed; the total number, including those already settled, stood at over 13,000. GSK agreed to settle some 10,000 more of Avandia lawsuits by July 2010 by offering about $460 million. For the beneficiaries, Avandia settlements cut short the time required to go through full lawsuit and appeals, if any

The total amount of money set aside by GSK for legal costs during the year 2010 work out to staggering $ 6 billion.

Avandia Settlement : Should You File an Avandia Lawsuit?

It’s important for people who have taken Avandia to know that they can seek compensation if they believe that Avandia is the cause of their suffering. There is no doubt the action of GSK –that of Avandia settlements- belies their honest intent. Avandia settlements have been reported from many parts of the country in lawsuit claims in which Avandia has been linked to heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure (CHF) and heart-related death.

If you too believe that your suffering or that of your loved one is due to the use of Avandia, you should explore the possibilities of seeking compensation. Fill out our Avandia Compensation evaluation form to know if you qualify for compensation.