An Alabama family is suing the makers of Zofran to gain compensation for daughter’s congenital birth defects that will require extended medical care and surgeries.

In 1991, the Food and Drug Administration approved Zofran to treat the most severe kind of nausea. The drug was meant for cancer patients who required chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Zofran, made the decision to engage in the off-label marketing of Zofran, touting it as “wonder drug” for morning sickness.

A family in Alabama is suing the makers of Zofran, alleging that they weren’t properly informed of the risks that led to their daughter’s birth defects.

Pre-Natal Zofran Exposure And Heart Defects

Ciara Legg’s daughter had open heart surgery before her first birthday.
Image: Adam

Ciara Legg used a generic version of Zofran to treat symptoms of morning sickness during her first and second trimester. She gave birth to a baby girl on Jan. 23, 2013. When her daughter was born, it was discovered that she suffered from congenital anomalies.

Legg’s daughter had open-heart surgery before her first birthday. She was only 8 months old. Doctors have said that she will need medical care and additional surgeries throughout her life.

The Legg family was never informed about Zofran’s potential to cause cardiac problems, which is the most common defect linked to the drug.  If she had been told about the drug’s potential to cause birth defects, Legg said she never would have taken it while pregnant. The family has since filed a lawsuit.

Taking Legal Action To Cover Medical Expenses

The Legg family is pursuing legal assistance in order to gain enough money to help cover their daughter’s medical bills.
Image: Bet

In the lawsuit, GlaxoSmithKline’s desire to have doctors prescribe the drug as a morning sickness medication is described as a “fraudulent marketing campaign.” The Legg family claims they weren’t properly informed of the risks associated with Zofran.

Because of the fact that their daughter will need additional surgeries down the line, the Legg family has decided to take legal action in an effort to gain “compensatory and punitive damages” and “equitable relief.” The money will be used to pay medical, incidental and hospital expenses.

“As a direct and proximate result of GSK’s conduct, the plaintiffs and their daughter have suffered and incurred harm including severe and permanent pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses, and other economic and noneconomic damages, and will require more constant and continuous medical monitoring and treatment than had they not been exposed to the drug,” according to the legal complaint.

The drug manufacturer is allegedly aware of more than 200 children born with birth defects after their mothers used Zofran. Many families caring for a child with birth defects are struggling to afford the life-saving but costly medical procedures.

If you took Zofran while pregnant and if your child was born with birth defects, then you might be entitled to compensation for this medical side effect.

Request a free, no-obligation case evaluation now to see if you qualify.

The post Alabama Parents Sue Pharmaceutical Company For Heart Problems Linked To Zofran appeared first on Citizens Report.

An Arkansas mother has taken legal action against the anti-nausea drug Zofran for allegedly causing her son to develop numerous birth defects.

An Arkansas mother named Jody Huffmaster has joined the ranks of more than 60 parents fighting against Zofran.

During her pregnancy, Huffmaster took Zofran to treat symptoms of morning sickness. The anti-nausea drug, originally approved for cancer patients, allegedly caused Huffmaster’s son to develop numerous congenital birth defects.

Huffmaster has pursued legal assistance to gain “compensatory damages” and equitable relief to ensure that future mothers-to-be are fully informed about the potential risks of Zofran.

Mother Claims Zofran Exposure Caused Her Son’s Defects

Huffmaster’s son was born with clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position.
Image: National Library of Medicine

Huffmaster’s son, referred to in court documents as B.H., has “numerous” birth injuries. In her claim, she identifies Zofran as the culprit.

B.H. was born with a cleft palate, which is a condition that causes an opening or split in the roof of her son’s mouth and lip. Children with cleft palates may develop speech disorders, stuttering, an impaired voice, feeding difficulties, hearing loss, mouth breathing, nasal congestion or snoring.

In addition, B.H. suffers from bilateral clubfoot. This condition affects the lower half of the body, creating a twist in the shape or positioning of the foot. Bilateral clubfoot may cause an abnormality while walking, calluses, knock knees or shortened legs.

Although B.H. was lucky enough to be born with a healthy heart, the majority of birth defects associated with prenatal exposure to Zofran are cardiovascular. However, B.H. was also diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome. This means his lungs weren’t fully developed when he was born, causing difficulty breathing and potential organ damage.

A Family Dealing With Mounting Medical Costs

Families with children who require multiple medical procedures often need financial assistance.
Image: Dynamic Chiropractic

At just 8 years old, Huffmaster’s son has undergone two serious surgeries. Although court documents don’t specify if the procedures repaired his clubfoot, it’s likely that his cleft palate was treated.

Throughout his life, B.H.’s family has had to shoulder his medical expenses. Because the cost of multiple medical procedures is high even for families with excellent health insurance, it can be extremely difficult to come up with enough funding to cover birth defect surgeries.

On September 14, 2015, Huffmaster filed a lawsuit against the makers of Zofran. Her family is requesting damage awards that will assist with paying B.H.’s mounting medical bills.

She is suing for her family’s “severe and permanent pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses and other economic and noneconomic damages, and will require more constant and continuous medical monitoring and treatment than had they not been exposed to Zofran,” according to court files.

Additionally, Huffmaster hopes the lawsuit will help to warn future mothers about the possible risks of Zofran. 

If you took Zofran while pregnant and if your child was born with birth defects, you might be entitled to compensation.

Complete a free, no-obligation case evaluation now to see if you qualify.

The post Arkansas Family Files Against Zofran For Cleft Palate And Clubfoot Defects appeared first on Citizens Report.