Atlanta Prilosec Claims Lawyer

According to a recent study, Prilosec, as well as other types of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) medicines, might increase the risk for the development of chronic kidney disease. You might be eligible to obtain financial compensation by filing a Prilosec lawsuit if either you or someone you know has experienced a serious medical injury such as chronic kidney disease after taking Prilosec. Our award-winning mass torts attorneys are accepting Prilosec cases currently. Contact us for your free consultation with an Atlanta Prilosec claims lawyer.

What is Prilosec?

It is a type of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) that treats GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)by preventing acid from being released into the stomach. Millions of people have used Prilosec (omeprazole), but it has been shown that it increases the risk of a number of serious conditions including bone fractures and heart attacks. Many Prilosec lawsuits have been filed already against Astra Zeneca, its manufacturer, for injuries that have been caused by using Prilosec.

Prilosec was the very first PPI medication to be approved in the United States. It was approved in 1989 by the FDA. The PPI medication class now includes Prevacid, Nexium, and several others. They are some of the all-time best-selling drugs, which have earned Astra Zeneca as well as other drug manufacturers billions of dollars. As many as 14% of U.S. adults have used a PPI medication prescription and even more, people have used OTC versions of the drug.

Prevacid, Nexium, and Prilosec were approved as well as over-the-counter (OTC) medications since they were thought to be safe enough to use without having a doctor’s prescriptions. However, there has been some controversy surrounding these drugs. There have been concerns raised about increased risks for heart attack, cardiac birth defects, and hip fractures when Prilosec or other PPIs are taken.

What Serious Side Effects Are Associated With Taking Prilosec?

There have been multiple warnings issued for Prilosec, with the most recent coming in 2015. However, the trouble began shortly after it was approved. Initially, it was released as “Losec,” but that name was unfortunately similar to a common type of antidiuretic. This similarity resulted in numerous medication errors and one death before its name was changed to “Prilosec.”

The following are some of the other issues that have taken occurred with Prilosec:

Bone fractures – It was reported by a medical journal in 2006 that Prilosec could potentially increase risks of bone fractures, especially in elderly people. The FDA finally issued a consumer warning and in 2010 they required a labeling change regarding the increased risk for bone fracture.
Acid rebound – Prilosec was shown in 2009 to cause “dependency.” It was shown by researchers that if a person discontinued taking the medication that the stomach might start to release too much acid suddenly.
Birth defects – There was a concern raised in 2010 about a link between using Prilosec and cardiac birth defects. The FDA said there was not a statistical link in humans. However, this risk has been confirmed in animal studies. Currently, Prilosec is on the Pregnancy C list and pregnant women should not take it unless it is urgently needed.
Hypomagnesemia – There was another warning issued in 2011 concerning low levels of magnesium that might be caused by using Prilosec. Hypomagnesemia might affect how muscles and nerves work and might affect the heart as well.
Intestinal infection – A warning was issued by the FDA in 2012 regarding the increased risk of Clostridium difficile (C diff), a serious gastrointestinal condition, in elderly people. The labeling requirement was changed so that a C difficile warning was included, in addition to information on how long Prilosec can be used and on drug interactions.
Heart attack – The results from two large studies in 2015 indicated an increased risk of heart attacks. Nearly 3 million individuals how had used Prilosec or another PPI were examined by these studies. It was found that the risk for heart attack might increase by 16-21% even in those patients that did not have a cardiac disease history.
Vascular aging – Researchers in 2016 concluded that using PPI might prematurely “age” the vascular system’s cells. That might contribute to age-related conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, renal failure, and dementia, although there has been no definitive connection made to date.
Kidney damage – Study results that were published in 2016 in a highly respected medical journal showed that long-term use might contribute to the development of renal disease or chronic kidney failure.

There have been some medial professionals who have stated that as much as 70% of PPI use might not be indicated and that these drugs might be used for a much longer period of time than is appropriate. There have been multiple lawsuits with Prilosec as the subject for fractures, birth defects, and other serious effects caused by such factors such as law magnesium that relate to using PPI.

What Types of Damages May I Seek as Part of a Prilosec Lawsuit

Our law firm is representing people who have suffered acute interstitial nephritis or chronic kidney disease as a result of taking Prilosec or Nexium. If you have suffered these injuries, we will seek the damages below for you:

Future and past medical expenses that are the result of your injuries.
Future and past pain and suffering (mental and physical) that is caused by your injuries, as well as the recovery process and treatment costs.
Future and past wage loss.
Future and past loss of enjoyment of your life.
Future and past loss of earning capabilities.
Punitive damages, where appropriate.

How Much Does Hiring a Prilosec Lawsuit Lawyer Cost?

Our attorneys offer confidential case evaluations free of charge, and we never charge any other costs or fees unless you recover first. We charge a contingency fee ranging from 20% to 40$. We charge an amount that is based on the amount we recover for you.

How Many Nationwide Prilosec Lawsuits Have Been Filed?

Over 13,000 lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of Prilosec and Nexium by people who have suffered injuries due to taking one of those proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medicines. Currently, these lawsuits are combined before a New Jersey federal judge where all evidence gathering and national discovery is occurring.

The key issue in these lawsuits is that the Prilosec and Nexium manufacturers failed to warn patients and doctors that using their medications could cause renal and kidney failure, which includes acute interstitial nephritis (AIN).

Lawyers have argued the following in their court filings:

Prilosec and Nexium are unreasonably dangerous and defective.
The manufacturers (including Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble, and Asta Zeneca) were negligent in producing these drugs.
The manufactures failed to test the medication properly and failed to warn patients and doctors of certain risks associated with the medication.
Evidence was concealed by the manufactures of the dangers from the public and government, and marketing materials misrepresented the drugs’ safety.

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