Last year, many major chains, such as Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and other reputable drugstores, have removed Zantac from their shelves in response to some alarming revelations. Perrigo Company plc, Novitium Pharma LLC, and Lannett Company, Inc. have each voluntarily recalled the heartburn medication after the FDA found a link between Zantac and a variety of cancers, including stomach cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer, among others. Zantac is also sold under the generic name of ranitidine. There is a single contaminant in the drug, named NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine), which is a known carcinogen, often found in petroleum-based products. Now, pursuant to these developments, the Food and Drug Administration has requested the removal of all ranitidine products from the market.
If you have taken Zantac (or generic ranitidine) more than 60 times and have since been diagnosed with a type of cancer, one of the most important steps that you can take beyond taking the necessary measures to recover your health is to work with an experienced, aggressive attorney who is familiar with drug recalls, side effects, and cancer lawsuits to help you get the financial protection that you deserve and are entitled to.
One of the most difficult steps of a personal injury or medical-related lawsuit is selecting an attorney that you trust, which is why we offer cost-free consultations. Read more below to learn about the specifics of the Zantac and ranitidine lawsuits and related cancer issues. Contact us now to be connected with an attorney who can help you fight for your rights.
DOES ZANTAC CAUSE CANCER?
The FDA released a statement at the beginning of October 2019 stating that they had found a link between NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine) and a variety of cancers and that there was a risk of this drug being present in Zantac and the generic alternative, ranitidine. Following this announcement, there have been a variety of cancer victims, and families who have lost loved ones to a variety of cancers, who have taken a closer look at their medication history and realizing that they had taken Zantac before being diagnosed with cancer.
While not all Zantac and ranitidine medications have been confirmed to be contaminated with NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine), there have been widespread recalls and the link to a variety of cancers has been determined.
What is NDMA?
NDMA is an organic compound that is often used in petroleum-based products like gasoline, rocket fuel, and diesel fuel and has been found to cause cancer in both rodents and humans. The amounts of NDMA found in some Zantac products have exceeded the legal limit by 3000x, meaning that there are significant exposure risks for those who consumed the contaminated medications.
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR A ZANTAC LAWSUIT
There are a variety of factors that you will need to consider before you are certain whether or not you are able to seek financial compensation for your situation. In order to get an idea of your options, and how best to move forward, contact Balkin Law Group.
When building a lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company or other medical company, there are many complicated specifics that go into creating a strong case. To get a complete understanding of your situation, schedule an initial consultation with a Balkin Law Group attorney who can explain to you what has happened so far with the different lawsuits and cases that have been registered, how your situation compares, and how experienced the attorney is in handling situations similar to your own. Among the conditions that have been potentially linked to Zantac and similar products are:
- Prostate Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Brain Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Bladder Cancer
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Uterine Cancer
- Nasal/Throat Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
Whether you are the victim, or a loved one was the victim, of cancer that you suspect is connected with the use of Zantac or ranitidine, the most important step to take in terms of your legal actions is to get started with an attorney as soon as possible.
CALCULATING COMPENSATION IN A ZANTAC-RELATED LAWSUIT
There are a variety of damages that a victim will suffer from in this situation that stems from cancer that they may suffer from after NDMA exposure from their Zantac usage. As with all personal injury lawsuits, these damages will be calculated by an experienced personal injury attorney who will be able to present clear and compelling evidence during your Zantac cancer lawsuit to show that you are entitled to these amounts. Some examples are as follows:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are a portion of a personal injury lawsuit that are intended to seek repayment for measurable economic impacts or damages that the victim has suffered as a result of the actions or negligence of the defendant. They include things like the medical bills that the victim has accrued, surgery expenses, and a variety of recovery costs such as physical therapy, assistive devices, and long-term treatment costs.
In addition to the medical costs, economic damages include things like lost wages and other financial impacts due to an inability to work during treatment and illness, as well as long-term income and earning issues such as the reduced capacity to return to work after recovery. In the case of family who has lost a loved one, economic damages include the loss of financial support from the deceased, as well as the aforementioned issues.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages can be more complicated to calculate than economic damages, simply because they do not seek 1-to-1 repayment for measurable financial impacts. Instead, non-economic damages work to put a dollar value on the emotional and āintangibleā impacts that these unfortunate situations have on the victim or their loved ones. They include things like pain and suffering, loss of companionship in the event of wrongful death, a reduced quality of life, and many other things.
Depending on your attorney and their approach, there are a variety of different methods employed to determine a fair dollar amount. For example, one option is known as a āmultiplier,ā which accounts for all of the non-economic impacts and uses a scale to indicate how severe they are. Once a fair and understandable multiplier has been determined, this number will then be applied to the economic damages in order to convert these damages into a dollar amount.
CONTACT BALKIN LAW GROUP NOW
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with stomach, bladder, kidney, pancreatic, colon, or intestinal cancer after using Zantac for an extended time, you may be eligible for compensation in the form of a personal injury lawsuit. The team at Balkin Law Group is ready to help you navigate this complicated process, and get the justice that you deserve for your suffering. Contact us today.