Boston Injury Lawyer Blog

According to authorities, the body of Maria Joseph went undetected for two days in a Massachusets public pool even as swimmers continued to use it. It wasn’t until Tuesday evening that teenagers saw her floating body in the Vietnam Veterans Swimming Pool in Fall River.

Joseph, 36, had gone swimming with a family on Sunday. After colliding with her friend’s 9-year-old son as the two of them went down a swimming pool slide, she wasn’t seen again.

CNN says that the pool is 12-feet at its deepest part. A health inspector who looked at the pool on Tuesday reported that its water was “cloudy.” It can sometimes take a couple of days for a decomposing body to rise to the surface.

Following the discovery of Joseph’s body, the pool’s managers, lifeguards, and three health inspectors were put on administrative leave. Meantime, 24 state pools were shut down while a further probe into the matter takes place.

Boston Swimming Pool Accidents
Swimming pool owners are supposed to make sure that their pools are safe. This ensures making sure that pools are kept clean and clear, not just for health purposes, but also so that if anyone is drowning while under water, it can be easy to see them. Pools need to be properly maintained and supervised. This means making sure that there is a lifeguard or another person tasked with making sure that no one drowns or gets seriously hurt. It is also important that pool drains and their covers are in compliance with the latest federal safety regulations and that the pools is closed off during off hours so that no one—kids, in particular—can get in the water when there no supervision .An experienced Boston injury lawyer can help you determine who should be held liable for your Massachusetts drowning accident or your loved one’s wrongful death.

Unfortunately, people are hurt in swimming pool accidents or die from drowning every year. Boston drowning accidents have been known to happen in both private and public pools.

Authorities say body found in public pool went undetected for days, CNN, June 30, 2011

Woman’s Body Found In Fall River Public Pool Was There A Few Days, CBS, June 29, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Pool Safety

Unintentional Drowning: Fact Sheet, CDC

More Blog Posts:
Truro Man’s Family to Sue Provincetown for Man’s 2008 Massachusetts Drowning Death, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 14, 2010

13-Year-Old Nearly Drowns in Falmouth Swimming Pool Accident at Holiday Inn, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, July 21, 2010

Prevent Boston Pool and Spa Drowning Accidents by Installing New Drains and Implementing the Proper Safety Measures, Says CPSC, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 1, 2009

With Independence Day just a few days away, our Boston injury lawyers would like to remind you to be careful if you happen to find yourself around or near fireworks. These manufactured explosives can be very dangerous and may cause serious injuries.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that thousands of people are injured in fireworks accidents each year. That said, it is illegal for anyone but licensed professionals to use fireworks in Massachusetts. If you are at someone’s home or at a private exhibit and you are injured in a Massachusetts fireworks accident, do not hesitate to contact our Boston personal injury law firm immediately.

Contrary to popular belief, even smaller fireworks, such as sparklers can cause injuries. Serious fireworks-related injuries may include:

• Eye burns
• Burn injuries to the skin
• Blindness
• Amputations
• Hand loss
• Death

Even if you are at a professional fireworks display, accidents can happen. If the owner of the property where the display is talking place or the party in charge of the exhibit failed to remove any hazards and follow the proper procedures to ensure that participants and observers do not get hurt or die, victims of this type of Boston fireworks accident may have grounds for a civil lawsuit. If a firework proved defective or dangerous, a victim may have grounds for a Boston products liability case against the manufacturer. If any one acted in a manner that caused you to get hurt by a firework, you may have grounds for a Massachusetts injury case against him/her.

If you happen to find yourself in a situation where you are around fireworks, here are a few safety tips offered by the CPSC:

• Don’t let kids play with or ignite them.
• Make sure someone is supervising the activities.
• Keep a safe distance from the fireworks.
• Don’t point or throw the fireworks at anyone
• Make sure that there is water that is easily accessible in the event of a fire.

Fireworks Safety, CPSC

Model Fireworks Law (PDF)

Fireworks, National Fire Protection Association

More Blog Posts:
Lynn, Massachusetts Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed in Case of Teenager Hurt When Homemade Bomb Explodes, Boston Injury Lawyer, April 30, 2011

Dangerous Beverage?: Massachusetts Pulls Four Loko From Store Shelves, Boston Injury Lawyer, December 30, 2010

Salem Premises Liability: 93-Year-Od-Woman Seeks Damages for Burn Injuries from Scalding Bathwater, Boston Injury Lawyer, May 25, 2011

According to The New York Times, there is growing concern that Medicare fraud is being committed in the hospice care industry. Currently, Medicare pays hospice providers a flat rate of $147 to $856 a day, depending on the services rendered and the type of care provided. However, some whistleblowers have stepped forward to report that there are companies that may be taking advantage of the system and providing hospice care to patients that don’t need it.

Considered a palliative care alternative that can be rendered to patients in their homes or at a nursing home or private facility during their last days, hospice care is considered less costly than continuing to provide medical services that will not help a dying patient recover. 1.1 million Medicare clients a year receive hospice care.

However, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (an independent Congressional oversight panel) 19% of hospice patients are now get this care for longer than six months, even though to qualify one is supposed to have no more than a remaining life expectancy of just that long. Medicare’s hospice bill was over $12 billion in 2009 alone, and MedAc is concerned that the flat rate payment fee is incentive for some providers to choose to service patients who are expected to live longer than six months while they continue to get paid.

Fortunately, there are those in the industry who are stepping forward to report Medicare fraud in the hospice industry. These persons are called whistleblowers. They “blow the whistle” and report a type of misconduct or wrongdoing in an organization.

Choosing to become a whistleblower is a tough decision, and sometimes the threat of retaliation can cause many people to stay silent. Fortunately, there are federal and state laws offering whistleblowers protection from such reprisals and, in some cases where the government ends up recovering money from the wrongdoer, the whistleblower may be entitled to part of the award.

It is important that you are represented by an experienced Boston injury lawyer that can protect you and make sure that you are compensated for doing what is right. Contact our Boston, Massachusetts whistleblower law firm and ask for your free case evaluation.

Concerns About Costs Rise With Hospices’ Use, The New York Times, June 27, 2011

Rapid growth of for-profit hospices raises ethical concerns, study says, Mcknights, May 19, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Hospice Benefits, Medicare (PDF)

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission

More Blog Posts:
Whistleblowers Lawsuits Can Lead to Financial Compensation for Those Brave Enough to Speak Out, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 30, 2011

Officials at Silver Lake Regional High School have placed school psychologist Robert F. Daly on leave after they recently found at that he had been a defendant in a Massachusetts sexual abuse lawsuit. The complaint accused Daly of molesting children in the 1970’s and 1980’s while he was a priest.

Daily, who was ordained in the 1860’s, last worked as a priest in 1984. It was in 2005 that he and 16 other priests, three archdiocese lay employees, and high-ranking church officials were sued by 25 people who claimed they were the victims of Massachusetts sexual abuse. The case was settled in arbitration.

Silver Lake Regional High School wasn’t aware of the sex abuse lawsuit until earlier this month, when it was announced that Daly had asked to be defrocked. Since he was hired by the school district in 2001, there have been no complaints about him. As a school psychologist, Daly’s job involves trying to determine whether students need special education support and developing plans for those that do.

Massachusetts Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is a serious crime and one that causes injuries that can leave a person emotionally incapacitated for life. If your child was molested by a friend, teacher, doctor, priest, camp counselor, relative, or anyone else, you may be able to file a Boston sex abuse case to sue the perpetrator for damages.

In Massachusetts, actions over the sexual abuse of minors can be brought within three years of the acts allegedly occurring or within three years of when the victim found out or reasonably should have discovered that an psychological or emotional injury or condition was a result of sexual assault and battery. The time limit for beginning an action is tolled for a child until he or she turns 18.

Silver Lake school psychologist placed on leave over abuse allegations, MetroWest Daily News, June 18, 2011

Sexual abuse of minors, Massachusetts General Laws

Related Web Resources:
Bishop Accountability

Child Sexual Abuse, AmericanHumane.org

More Blog Posts:
Former Campers Step Forward Claiming They Were Victims of Massachusetts Child Sexual Abuse at Camp Good News in Sandwich, Boston Injury Lawyers, April 13, 2011

Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit: Victim Sues the Pope, Boston Injury Lawyers, September 4, 2010

Massachusetts Clergy Sexual Abuse: Defrocked Priest Paul Shanley Challenges Conviction for Indecent Assault & Battery and Child Rape, Boston Injury Lawyers, September 9, 2009

Continue reading "Kingston, Massachusetts School Psychologist Placed on Leave Over Clergy Sex Abuse Allegations" »

A jury has awarded a $2.6 million Worcester medical malpractice verdict to Jorge Rosado. Rosado underwent eight operations over a five-month period after a surgical tack ended up in his small bowel. The Massachusetts medical mistake occurred in connection with a laparoscopic hernia surgery on July 24, 2004 when Rosado was just 21.

Because of his injury, Rosado, who was a mechanic, ended up in the ICU and had to use a breathing tube. He also had to undergo an ileostomy and live with an open abdominal wound for over a month. Other complications as a result of the Worcester, Massachusetts surgical mistake, included severe stomach scarring, another bowel obstruction, a dangerous infection, and other life-threatening complications. Rosado is also reportedly at risk of more bowel obstructions from adhesions in the future. He had to miss work for several months.

The titanium surgical tack, which is used to seal off surgical wounds, was supposed to stay in the lining of his stomach. The defense noted that it is a known risk for the tack to come loose over time and that during a post-operative visit about 10 days after the original surgery, it was not in Rosado’s bowel yet. However, one medical expert said that the doctor who conducted the post-operative checkup should have checked to see where the tacks were embedded while making sure that none were located in the small bowel wall or near there. He also said that if the tack had been correctly sutured to the lining, it wouldn’t have been able to end up in the small bowel wall.

Having a foreign object in your body can be very dangerous—especially when its location impacts an important organ. Medical professionals need to make sure that they don’t leave any surgical tools inside patients when performing a procedure. They also need to ensure that anything purposely inserted inside a patient is done so correctly so that no health complications can result.

Some other examples of medical malpractice:
• Dental Malpractice
• Anesthesia errors
• Nursing negligence
• Failure to obtain informed consent
• Failure to provide a certain level of care
• Poor post-operative care
• Failure to monitor a patient’s vitals
• Medication mistakes

$2.6M awarded in malpractice case, Telegram.com, June 16, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Medical Malpractice, Nolo

Medpage Today

More Blog Posts:
Boston Medical Malpractice?: Three Wrong-Site Surgeries Performed at Beth Israel, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 11, 2011

Couple Settle Boston Medical Malpractice Case Over Kidney Transplant for $1.25 Million, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 27, 2010

Massachusetts Hospitals Racked Up Over 300 Medical Mistakes, Including Fall Accidents, Medication Errors, and Surgical Malpractice In 2008, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 9, 2009

Continue reading "$2.6M Worcester, Massachusetts Medical Malpractice Verdict Awarded to Man Who Ended Up with Surgical Tack Inside His Small Bowel" »

A hearing over the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of United Airlines Flight 175 passenger Mark Bavis is scheduled for this week in federal court. The Bavis family’s complaint is the last unresolved wrongful death case over the 911 terrorist attacks.

Bavis was one of the passengers aboard the United flight when terrorists flew the plane into one of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. According to court documents that have just been released and were obtained by the Boston Herald, Bavis’ loved ones are claiming that the security screeners at the Boston international airport didn’t even know how to identify Mace and that some of them had such a hard time speaking English that they couldn’t do a proper job of screening passengers.

The plaintiffs want to know how 10 terrorists were able to get through Logan to hijack United 175 and American Airlines Flight 11 . Also, they are claiming that the general manager for the security company that was manning the gate was not aware that a federal alert had been put out warning that Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network were targeting US passenger jets.

The majority of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks have either settled out of court through a congressional fund established for loved ones that has paid over $7 billion or with the resolution of their wrongful death complaints, which have resulted in about $500 million in settlement compensation.

The Bavis family have refused to settle their wrongful death case outside of court. They want to prove that United and other defendants were grossly negligent in letting the hijackers get on the plane. Boeing and the security company that ran the checkpoint at Logan International Airport on September 11, 2001 are two of the other defendants.

Massachusetts Premises Liability
If inadequate security or other acts of negligence caused you or a loved one to get hurt at an airport, you may have reason to file a Boston premises liability case. If you believe that someone working for or affiliated with the airport could have prevented an accident that took place in the air from happening, you may have grounds for a Boston injury case.

Suit: 9/11 Logan screeners ‘unaware’, Boston Herald, June 21, 2011

Among 9/11 Families, a Last Holdout Remains, New York Times, September 10, 2010

September 11 Victim's Family Files Wrongful Death Suit, WCVB TV Boston, June 21, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Union Doesn’t Want Two Inspectors Linked to Auburn Escalator Accident Death Fired, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 13, 2011

Salem Premises Liability: 93-Year-Od-Woman Seeks Damages for Burn Injuries from Scalding Bathwater, Boston Injury Lawyer, May 25, 2011

Continue reading " Wrongful Death: Family of 9/11 Victim Claims Security Screeners at Logan International Airport Did Poor Job" »

Chrysler Group LLC says it is recalling 11,351 motor vehicles because of a manufacturing issue that could result in a vehicle’s steering to fail. The automaker says it doesn’t know of any injuries or crashes that have occurred as a result of the problem. However, 11 of the 20 Chrysler models for sale this year have been impacted by the recall.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an improperly installed or missing rivet could cause loss of steering, which may increase the chance of a traffic crash happening. If this were to occur and serious injury were to result, the victims and his/her family should speak with an experienced Boston injury lawyer.

The recalled vehicles are all 2011 models and include Chrysler's Dodge Avenger, Chrysler 200, Town and Country, Dodge Caravan, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Nitro, Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, Patriot, Liberty, and Wrangler. Auto dealers now must check that the rivet has not gone missing and is correctly installed.

It goes without saying that when a motorist loses the ability to steer a vehicle, he/she is at greater risk of causing a car crash. Automakers are supposed to make vehicles free from defects that could endanger the lives of occupants and others on the road.

Filing a Massachusetts auto product liability case can allow you to sue a manufacturer for damages. Our Boston products liability lawyers have years of experience pursuing recovering from automakers. Our team knows how to identify and prove that an auto defect caused your Boston injury accident or a loved one’s wrongful death. Examples of common auto defects include air bag defects, seatbelt failures, engine problems, seat back collapse, SUV defects, tire defects, electronic stability control problems, and roof failure.

Chrysler announces recall of 11,000 vehicles for steering problem, Florida Today, June 16, 2011

Chrysler recall affects half of its 2011 models, The Detroit News, June 17, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Massachusetts Auto Products Liability Lawsuit Seeks Damages from Mitsubishi Over Deadly SUV Rollover in Revere, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 29, 2011

Toyota Motor Corp. Recalls Another 2.17 Million Vehicles Over Floor Mat/Accelerator Pedal Entrapment Concerns, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 24, 2011

Toyota Issues International Recall of 1.3 Million Motor Vehicles, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 29, 2009

According to a study published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, women taking drugs to treat their epilepsy are at greater risk of suffering form pregnancy complications than women who are not taking anti-seizure medications. The researchers, who are from the University of Bergen, also say that women taking this type of medication are at higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia (this can prove deadly to both mother and child), postpartum hemorrhage, vaginal building, and birth complications requiring cesarean or vaginal operative delivery.

The study examined over 400 woman who had babies in Bergen between 1999 and 2006. Half the women in the study had epilepsy. While 8% of the women taking antiseizure medications had pre-eclampsia while they were pregnant, only 3% of those who hadn’t taken the drug suffered from the same condition. Also, researchers say that women taking antiseizure meds were twice as likely to have to undergo emergency C-section and induced labor and 6 ½ times more likely to deliver a baby with birth defects. Our Boston injury lawyers would like to remind you that if you or someone you love was injured or suffered health complications or developed birth defects from taking any type of medication, you may have grounds for a Massachusetts products liability lawsuit.

It was just in 2006 that the Food and Drug Administration added a “black box” warning notifying user that Depakote, which is used to treat epilepsy, upped the likelihood of birth defects. A study showed that 20% of moms who had been taking the drugs while pregnant had babies with birth defects or malformations, such as cleft palate, spina bifida, malformed limbs, abnormal skull development, urinary tract problems, and holes in the heart. Similar side effects have been linked to the epilepsy drugs Tegretol, Epitol, and Equetrol. Earlier this year, the FDA added new warnings about the epilepsy drug Topamax to let people know that the medication increased the chances that infants exposed to it during the first trimester of pregnancy might be born with oral clefts.

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

More Blog Posts:
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: FDA Pulls Avandia Because of Cardiovascular Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011

Boston Personal Injury?: Use of Psychotropic Drugs Can Prove Fatal for Some Elderly Patients, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 30, 2011

Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: Women Affected by Yaz Birth Control May Have Grounds for Lawsuit, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 26, 2011

Continue reading "Study Reports that Epilepsy Drugs May Up Pregnancy Risks" »

According to Boston.com, Service Employees International Union is questioning the decision to terminate the employment of the two inspectors accused of not properly checking the escalator that 4-year-old Mark DiBona plunged to his death from at the Auburn Mall last March. In a recent blog post, our Boston injury lawyers reported on the fact that DiBona’s parents have filed a Massachusetts wrongful death lawsuit against Sears Roebuck and Co. and several other parties.

The Dudley boy fell through a 6-inch gap on the escalator even though Massachusetts building codes don’t allow for openings larger than 4-inches. The two inspectors who had inspected the escalator prior to that were suspended after Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Gatzunis found that they failed to mandate that escalator owners make sure that there are safety barriers over any wide gaps found next to the sides of different public escalators. Steps have since been taken to have them fired.

However, a legal representative for Service Employees International Union is arguing that inspectors have never cited escalator owners before for violating this portion of the code and that many inspectors were not even aware that the state doesn’t allow such wide gaps next to the escalators. He said that this lack of training of escalator inspectors is an institutional problem, which is an implication that the adequate information possessed by inspectors is not necessarily their fault.

That said, inspections are supposed to be conducted yearly to make sure that escalators are safe for use and free from any hazards that cause serious injury. If an escalator injury or death does occur, the owner of the escalator could be held liable for Boston premises liability or wrongful death, while the manufacturer of a defectively designed escalator may be held liable for Boston products liability.

Union says inspectors ill-trained, Boston.com, June 11, 2011

2 Fired, 6 Suspended After Boy's Escalator Death, WCVB Boston, May 4, 2011

Massachusetts Department of Public Safety

Service Employees International Union

More Blog Posts:
Worcester County Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed By Family of Dudley Boy Killed in Massachusetts Escalator Accident, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 10, 2011
4-Year-Old Dudley Boy Dies in Auburn, Massachusetts Escalator Fall Accident, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 16, 2011

Massachusetts Premises Liability?: Most Shopping Mall Escalators Are Not Inspected Annually, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 26, 2011

In March, our Boston injury lawyers published a blog post on the tragic Worcester County escalator accident at the Auburn Mall that claimed the life of 4-year-old Mark DiBona. Now, his family has filed an Auburn, Massachusetts wrongful death lawsuit against Sears Roebuck and Co., the Simon Property Group, the Mall at Auburn LL, Schindler Elevator Corp., Botany Bay Construction Co., and Mayflower Auburn LP. seeking unspecified damages for gross negligence and negligence.

The little boy died after he fell two stories through a 6-inch space of an escalator located in the Sears store at the Auburn Mall. The gap was bigger than the 4-inch maximum allowed under state building codes.

Following the Massachusetts escalator accident, the two inspectors who certified the escalator as being in compliance with the safety code were suspended. The state has also started taking steps to get them terminated from their jobs.

There are currently 51 escalator inspectors in Massachusetts. Each escalator is supposed to be checked yearly. However, when the 927 escalators in the state were recently reinspected, it was discovered that 69 of them were missing barricades.

Escalator Accidents
Escalator accidents can result in tragic accidents. Granted, riders are supposed to hold on to the rail and not wear any clothing that could cause them to get stuck on an escalator. It is still, however, the responsibility of the owner of an escalator to make sure that it is safe to ride. Any hazards should be removed, malfunctions must be remedied immediately, and inspections need to occur as scheduled.

If you or someone you love has gotten hurt in a Boston escalator accident, there may be multiple parties who should be held liable.

Common causes of escalator accidents:

• Improper installation
• Missing parts
• Inadequate maintenance
• Mechanical malfunctions

Boy’s family files lawsuit, Telegram.com, June 10, 2011

Family files suit over Auburn Mall escalator death, Boston, June 9, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Auburn Building Code Enforcement

Massachusetts Department of Public Safety

More Blog Posts:
4-Year-Old Dudley Boy Dies in Auburn, Massachusetts Escalator Fall Accident, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 16, 2011

Massachusetts Premises Liability?: Most Shopping Mall Escalators Are Not Inspected Annually, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 26, 2011

Boston Wrongful Death Lawsuit Seeks Damages For Family of 82-Year-Old Who Was Strangled When Clothing Got Stuck on MBTA Escalator, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, November 4, 2009

Our Boston injury lawyers represent clients in Massachusetts injured because they were implanted with defective medical devices. If you believe that you or someone you loved was injured because of a defective NexGen CR-Flex Zimmer-brand knee implant, do not hesitate to contact us right away.

The Zimmer knee replacement device is a Femoral implant. Unlike other traditional implants, cement is not used to attach this synthetic device to the femur.

It was just last year at an American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons conference that doctors offered data that the Zimmer knee implants may have a failure rate that is too high for a knee replacement device. The study conducted found that out of 108 knee replacement surgeries involving a Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex knee replacement device, nine of the patients needed correction surgery. Also, 39 of the patients experienced radiographic-loosening knee implants. The doctors involved in the research believe that the reason this happened was because the Zimmer knee implants may have design defects.

Signs that your Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Knee Replacement may have become loose:
• Unexplained knee stiffness following your surgery for knee replacement
• Knee pain
• Swelling
• Problems walking
• Limited range of motion in the knee joint
• Limping
• Difficulties placing weight on the knee

Patients with a defective NexGen CR-Flex Zimmer-brand knee implant may have to undergo knee replacement revision surgery. This can be a painful and costly procedure and will require recovery time.

Related Web Resources:
Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Knee Replacement, Zimmer

Arthritis: Knee Replacement Surgery, WebMD

More Blog Posts:
Boston Products Liability Lawsuits Filed Over DePuy ASR Hip Devices, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 4, 2011

Defective Medical Device?: DePuy Hip Replacement Recall Leads to Products Liability Lawsuits, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 29, 2010

Restoring to Injured Patients the Right to Sue Medical Device Makers, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 26, 2009

Continue reading "Boston Products Liability: Defective Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Knee Replacement Devices Can Cause Painful Injuries" »

Propecia is one of the medications prescribed for male pattern baldness. However, recently there has been growing concern that use of Propecia may lead to permanent impotence in some men. Propecia is made by Merck & Co.

In their dangerous drug lawsuits, the plaintiffs are accusing the drug manufacture of failing to adequately warn of the potential sexual side effects. The risks shouldn’t come as a surprise to Merck, considering that Propecia belongs to a class of drug known as the 5-alpha-reductable inhibitors, which is linked to impotence, erectile dysfunction, depression, and a decrease in sexual desire.

A study recently published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine affirms these concerns. The researchers found that drugs often prescribed to treat hair loss (and also benign prostatic hyperplasia) and baldness that contain finasteride or dutasteride may cause irreversible sexual dysfunction and depression. Finasteride is the active ingredient in Propecia.

Boston University School of Medicine Professor Abdulmaged M. Traish, who is the study’s lead researcher, says that nearly everyone who takes these drugs usually experience some of the side effects—although some people more severely than others—and in some cases the effects are permanent even after the men have stopped taking the medication. The professor refers to this outcome as a “life sentence.”

Traish’s team also reports:
• 8% of men who used the drugs experienced erective dysfunction.
• 4.2% said their libido was reduced
• Other side effects included depression, decreased semen volume, and reduced ejaculation

Although these side effects are not fatal, they can be physically and psychologically damaging.

Other side effects linked to Propecia:
• Memory loss
• Anxiety attacks
• Insomnia
• Hyper tension
• Breathing problems
• Bipolar mood disorder
• Hypersensitivty
• Lethargy
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Breast enlargement
• Male breast cancer
• Testicular pain
• Social withdrawal
• Amotivational sydrome

Our Boston products liability lawyers represent clients who have suffered injury, illness, or serious side effects from taking medication. Drug manufacturers must warn of possible side effects and make medicines that don’t cause serious harm.

Sexual Side Effects From Propecia, Avodart May Be Irreversible, Medicine.net, March 10, 2011

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

Finasteride

Propecia

More Blog Posts:
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: FDA Pulls Avandia Because of Cardiovascular Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011

Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: Women Affected by Yaz Birth Control May Have Grounds for Lawsuit, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 26, 2011

Massachusetts Dangerous Drug Lawsuit Says Raptiva Caused Serious Infections, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 8, 2011

Continue reading "Propecia Lawsuits: Plaintiffs Claim Hair Loss Drug May Cause Permanent Impotence" »