You may be eligible to file a Tylenol Autism ADHD Lawsuit / Acetaminophen Autism ADHD Claim if you or a loved one used Tylenol and/ or Acetaminophen during pregnancy, and your child was subsequently diagnosed with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Legal action is being strategized by our attorneys for Horizon Therapeutics’ failure to properly warn patients of potential hearing loss side effects.
You may be eligible to file a Tepezza Lawsuit if you or a loved one took Tepezza and subsequently suffered permanent hearing loss or tinnitus.
Over 140,000 Exactech hip, knee and ankle implants have been recalled due to packaging errors that can lead to the breakdown of parts vital to the device’s function.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries from an Exactech implant device, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
You may be eligible to file a Hair Straightener Cancer Lawsuit if you or a loved one used chemical hair straighteners, hair relaxers, or other similar hair products, and subsequently were diagnosed with:
Over one million people, who were present at Camp Lejeune (North Carolina) between 1953 and 1987, may have been exposed to toxic substances in the water.
The Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawsuit can apply to you, a family member, or a loved one who lived at Camp Lejeune (North Carolina) and suffered health effects from the decades of water contamination that occurred.
If you have been exposed to Paraquat and diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may be eligible to pursue compensation, and entitled to participate in the paraquat lawsuit.
Contact us today to see if you qualify for the Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuit!
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At TorHoerman Law, we believe that if we continue to focus on the people that we represent, and continue to be true to the people that we are – justice will always be served.
Topamax (generically named Topiramate) is an anticonvulsant medication used by patients to treat epilepsy, nerve pain, seizures and to prevent migraine headaches.
The Topamax Lawsuit (specifically the Topamax Birth Defects Lawsuit) alleges that Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer, failed to warn women and doctors about the drug’s risk for causing birth defects and other side effects.
Children of pregnant women who used Topamax, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy, have an increased risk for the development of oral clefts and other potential birth defects.
If you or a loved one used Topamax or Topiramate prescriptions while pregnant, and the child subsequently developed a cleft palate or other birth defects, you may qualify for a Topamax Lawsuit.
Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation or use the chatbot on this page to see if you qualify for legal action instantly.
Though there are risks associated with Topamax use, the potential benefits for patients in treating epilepsy and seizures are enough for a medical professional to prescribe the medication.
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Topamax Birth Defects Lawsuit: What Birth Defect Risks are Related to Topiramate Prescriptions?
Scientifically positive evidence has linked Topamax to certain birth defects.
If you took Topamax while pregnant, and your child suffered birth defects, you may qualify for a Topamax Lawsuit.
According to a 2008 study published in Neurology, babies of pregnant mothers taking Topamax suffered birth defects at rates 11 times higher than average.
Topamax Birth Defects: Risk of Oral Clefts in Infants Exposed to Topiramate Drugs
Infants exposed to Topiramate in utero experience an increased risk of developing Oral Clefts (also known as a Cleft Lip or Cleft Palate).
Oral clefts, cleft palate or cleft lip are birth defects that occur when a baby’s lip and mouth do not form correctly during pregnancy.
Oral clefts occur early on in pregnancy, even before a woman discovers that she is pregnant.
Cleft palate refers to a split in the roof of the mouth and is sometimes not forwardly visible.
Cleft lip refers to a split in the top lip.
In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a warning on Topamax and the risk of cleft palate in developing babies.
The FDA originally labeled Topamax as a pregnancy category C drug, meaning that clinical trials on animals indicated potential risks for fetal injury, but they were not yet known for humans.
Now, Topiramate is labeled as a pregnancy category D drug, as new data shows risks for development of cleft lip, cleft palate and oral clefts generally.
The following guidance was released alongside the FDA Drug Safety Communication on cleft palate risks:
Women of childbearing age who do decide to take topiramate and are not planning a pregnancy should use effective birth control (contraception) while taking topiramate. Women should talk to their healthcare professionals about the best kind of birth control to use while taking topiramate.
Before you start topiramate, you should tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. Healthcare professionals may discuss other treatment options with you.
You should tell your healthcare professional right away if you become pregnant while taking topiramate. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will continue to take topiramate while you are pregnant.
Topiramate should not be stopped without talking to a healthcare professional, even in pregnant women. Stopping topiramate suddenly can cause serious problems. Not treating epilepsy during pregnancy can be harmful to women and their developing babies.
If you become pregnant while taking topiramate, you should talk to your healthcare professional about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334. The purpose of this registry is to collect additional information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy.
Other Topamax Birth Defects
Taking Topamax during pregnancy may be associated with birth defects other than oral clefts and cleft lip/palate.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that Topiramate and other antiepileptic drugs such as Zonisamide can lead to low birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA), which is defined as weight below the 10th percentile for gestational age.
Do Seizure Medications or Other Antiepileptic Drugs Pose a Human Fetal Risk?
Seizure medications have been linked to congenital heart defects, urinary tract defects and neural tube defects in babies of mothers who took them while pregnant.
Research on the association between birth defects and seizure medications include the following:
Neurology: Risks of 23 specific malformations associated with prenatal exposure to 10 antiepileptic drugs
National Library of Medicine: Influencing clinical practice regarding the use of antiepileptic medications during pregnancy: modeling the potential impact on the prevalences of spina bifida and cleft palate in the United States
Department of Justice Forces Janssen Pharmaceuticals to Pay for Off Label Promotion
The Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries allegedly engaged in off label promotion of Topamax, hiring outside physicians to visit healthcare professionals and healthcare providers to market the drug for psychiatric conditions.
Filing a Topamax Lawsuit: Do I Qualify?
If you used Topamax to treat seizures and migraines during pregnancy, and your child was born with a cleft lip, cleft palate, or oral clefts, you may qualify for a lawsuit.
Evidence in Topamax Lawsuits
Evidence is key in any personal injury lawsuit, but it is especially important in lawsuits involving dangerous medications.
Evidence in a Topamax lawsuit may include:
The mother’s medical records and bills
The child’s medical records and bills
Prescription records
Proof Topamax was used during pregnancy (specifically during the first trimester of pregnancy)
Any communication between healthcare providers and patients
Personal accounts of injuries and written testimony
Photos or videos of birth defect
Proof of costs associated with birth defect or injury
Damages in Topamax Lawsuits
Damages are the total losses, both non-economic and economic, that an injured party incurs as a result of their injury.
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