Zofran Lawsuit Map Shows Where Birth Defect Claims Are

October 13, 2015 – – Parents across the country have been shocked by news that the popular anti-nausea drug Zofran may cause birth defects. Both congenital heart defects and cleft palate have been linked to the drug by scientific research. Teams around the world continue to investigate Zofran’s potential effects on fetal development. In the meantime, many families are left to wonder why Zofran’s manufacturer has yet to address the association publically.

Some parents have done more than wonder. They’ve gone beyond the trauma and allegations of corporate corruption by filing Zofran lawsuits. In fact, so many claims have been filed that a federal panel of judges is considering whether they should be transferred to a single court. But where the claims should go is another question.

With a series of infographics, the experienced attorneys at Monheit Law have created a simple tool for understanding this complex, and important, issue. The graphics, along with an in-depth discussion, have been published on their website: Zofran.Monheit.com.

At least 58 lawsuits have been filed in 21 states, leaving the matter of an appropriate transfer venue up for debate. GlaxoSmithKline, the litigation’s Defendant, has suggested Pennsylvania, but only 1 birth defect claim is currently filed in that state. Plaintiffs have proposed a number of alternatives, including California, Alabama and Massachusetts, where the pending lawsuits number 11, 9 and 5 respectively.

Consolidation is a critical matter for families who have joined the Zofran litigation. If the lawsuits are transferred, they’ll become part of a “Multi-District Litigation” or MDL. Presiding over all of the claims, a single federal judge will be able to make binding rulings on allegations that the lawsuits share. Key phases like Discovery, in which evidence is gathered, will be conducted in common. The judge may also choose to select several “bellwether cases,” lawsuits that proceed to trial before the others. For many large Defendants, settling cases prior to trial becomes a more attractive option after a jury has found in favor of Plaintiffs. But all this is in the future and, for now, only a possibility.

Many families have spoken to the lawyers at Monheit Law, a personal injury firm based in Pennsylvania. Michael Monheit, Esq., the firm’s managing partner, noticed early that the Zofran controversy would be different. He realized that facing up to a huge pharmaceutical conglomerate like GlaxoSmithKline would require more than a few leading trial lawyers. So he joined forces with a group of the nation’s most distinguished dangerous drug attorneys. Together, the lawyers have offered free consultations and compassionate counsel to hundreds of mothers and fathers.

These parents often feel betrayed, injured and exploited by a company the US Justice Department says unlawfully promoted Zofran for use during pregnancy. It wasn’t hard for Monheit to empathize with the families calling his office. Michael is himself the father of a child with developmental delays. He also sits on the board of the Cleft Lip & Palate Foundation of Smiles, a nonprofit dedicated to helping parents whose children were born with facial defects. Michael understands firsthand the difficulties and joys of raising a child who is different.

Along with its alliance of experienced trial lawyers, Monheit Law continues to provide free consultations to families. For more information, call 1-877-620-8411.

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Contact ZofranLegal.com:

Michael Monheit
1-877-620-8411
michael@monheit.com
1368 Barrowdale Road, Rydal, PA 19046

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