Fosamax may be linked to atypical femur fractures, according to a study. The Archives of Internal Medicine published a study in May of 2012 that showed a link between bisphosphonate drugs and fractures. Fosamax has already been implicated in over 3,000 lawsuits, according to an article published in the Wall Street Journal. The lawsuits have in common allegations that using the drug caused patients to suffer bone decay and fractures.
Osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is one of the most common reasons that people have elected to sue over Fosamax. This drug is used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis and has been in use since it was approved in 1995 by the FDA. The potential risks of this drug have been making it into the news more frequently of late. According to an article in the TimesUnion, there are 3,100 product liability lawsuits that have been filed against Merck and Co. by patients treated with this drug.
The study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine linked the drug specifically to femoral fractures. These are among the most painful and debilitating fractures that an individual can suffer. The drug is also used to treat Paget’s disease, which means that an entire other group of patients aside from those suffering from postmenopausal osteoporosis may have been affected.
Litigation and Damages
One of the options for people who have been injured by a defective drug is to pursue a lawsuit, as over 3,000 people have already decided to do in the case of Fosamax. Patients who suffer serious conditions such as broken bones or osteonecrosis may find themselves unable to work or, predictably, facing even higher medical expenses than they would have expected, even if they were already diagnosed with a serious conditions such as osteoporosis.
The first step in finding out whether or not you might be able to sue for damages caused by a defective drug is to speak with an attorney. Whether you are considering suing over damages from Fosamax or another drug, the attorney may be already aware of many other cases that have been filed over the same product. If this is the case, they may well be able to help you, but you’ll have to meet with them to determine whether or not this is true in your situation.
Settlements
There are cases where pharmaceutical companies or other manufacturers of defective products may offer you a settlement. Make certain that you speak with an attorney before you accept any such settlement. If they do offer a settlement, it may be because they believed that you would win if you brought your case to court and, because of that, they are trying to avoid having to pay even more money in a jury award and court costs than they would have to pay for a settlement. The settlement may be a good deal for you, but you’ll definitely want to get the advice of an attorney before you go ahead and accept one in exchange for not filing a lawsuit.