Nearly 30 million Americans take Lipitor to lower their cholesterol and reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. It is one of the best-selling prescription drugs of all time, according to Reuters.
Recently, Pfizer, makers of Lipitor, have been confronted with thousands of lawsuits alleging its most popular product is responsible for causing type 2 diabetes, most often in women. The drug has other potentially severe side effects, including serious liver problems, memory loss, and confusion, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
If you have developed type 2 diabetes or other medical problems after taking Lipitor, a Los Angeles Lipitor lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you seek damages. Contact us today at (800) 794-0444 to learn more in a free, no-obligation consultation. We may be able to represent you on a contingency-fee basis.
About Lipitor and Health Risks
Lipitor, known generically as atorvastatin, is a type of medication known as a statin. Doctors prescribe statins to lower the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, and also to prevent heart disease and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Pfizer introduced Lipitor in 1996 to massive economic success. However, in 2012, the FDA changed its warning label for the drug, alerting consumers to serious health risks, including Lipitor’s potential for causing increased blood sugar levels. This means that patients took Lipitor for 16 years, unaware that the drug could cause type 2 diabetes. In its rationale for changing Lipitor’s label, the FDA cited a study that found taking statins may increase a patient’s risk for type 2 diabetes by 27 percent.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when your body becomes unable to produce insulin or becomes resistant to insulin. Researchers believe that Lipitor causes insulin resistance. According to Mayo Clinic, type 2 diabetes often develops slowly, and patients can have the condition for years and not know about it.
See a doctor if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes:
- Needing to urinate frequently
- Increased thirst or hunger
- Vision becomes blurry
- Exhaustion or tiredness
- Unexpected weight loss
- Wounds take longer to heal
- Skin becomes darker in regions such as neck or armpits
There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but it is important to diagnose and manage the condition. If type 2 diabetes is untreated, it can lead to a host of more serious health problems, including:
- Alzheimer’s disease: a patient’s risk for Alzheimer’s may increase with poor blood sugar control.
- Eye diseases: including cataracts, glaucoma, and blindness.
- Heart and blood vessel disease: people with type 2 diabetes may be more likely to experience a stroke, heart disease, or high blood pressure.
- Kidney damage: including kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease, possibly resulting in a needed kidney transplant.
In addition to type 2 diabetes, the FDA warns Lipitor can cause liver problems, as well as memory loss and confusion.
Lipitor Lawsuits
Following the FDA’s change to Lipitor’s warning label, Pfizer is facing thousands of lawsuits brought by women who believe the drug caused them to develop type 2 diabetes.
Claims against product manufacturers for defective drugs often are combined into a mass tort lawsuit, as has been the case with suits regarding Lipitor. Mass torts, also known as class-action lawsuits, are a legal mechanism that allows many individual lawsuits alleging the same harm to be brought to court together.
Though Lipitor lawsuits are still in court, historically, there have been several successful mass tort lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies over defective drugs. According to Reuters, Bayer paid a $1 billion settlement in 2005 over its statin Baycol.
If you believe you or a loved one has developed type 2 diabetes or other serious side effects after taking Lipitor, a Los Angeles Lipitor lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you with a defective drug lawsuit.
We can help you determine whether you should file an individual lawsuit against Lipitor, or to join an existing class-action lawsuit if you are eligible. Either action may allow you to recover damages for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
For a free legal consultation with a Lipitor Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
How Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Can Help
The legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm believes that pharmaceutical companies should be held responsible for the products they make and sell. If a drug could potentially cause serious harm, consumers have the right to know. If Lipitor caused you to develop type 2 diabetes or another serious medical condition, Pfizer may owe you compensation.
A Los Angeles Lipitor lawyer from our firm can handle all aspects of your case when we represent you. This would allow us to review the facts of your case and obtain evidence to help with your claim, such as medical records and expert testimony. We can handle all communications, deadlines, and paperwork in your case. If the responsible party’s insurance company is not willing to make you a fair settlement offer, we can take your case to trial.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm does not shy away from tough cases. Our team works on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront and nothing out of pocket. Any fees we collect come from any settlement you may receive.
To find out more about how we can help, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 to discuss your case. The sooner you call, the sooner we can get started on your case.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form