Zicam is taken via prepared gel swabs applied into the nostrils. Recently, it was discovered that Zicam’s active ingredient, zinc, can be toxic to nasal nerve receptors.   Use of the product has been linked to hundreds of cases where the consumer has experienced the loss of his or her sense of smell.  Consequently, in June 2009 the FDA issued a warning to consumers to cease using the three Zicam products:

• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel
• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs
• Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)

The loss of sense of smell can adversely affect a person’s quality of life, and can limit the ability to detect the smell of gas or smoke or other signs of danger in the environment.  This was stated in the FDA’s warning.

If you or someone you know has experienced the loss of sense of smell as a result of using any of the above-listed Zicam product, please fee free to contact this office to speak directly with me.  I can assist you in determining whether there may be a viable legal claim against the manufacturer of this defective product.  To contact me directly, click here.

GlaxoSmithKline, the British pharmaceuticals giant, announced that it was removing zinc from its denture adhesives after claims that “long-term, excessive” use of the products was bad for people’s health.  Several lawsuits are due to go to trial this year over injury caused to denture wearers. Specifically, these consumers claim that Poligrip and other generic denture creams containing zinc, caused nerve damage, leading to a loss of balance, loss of sensation in the hands and feet, and leaving some patients paralysed.

If you or someone you know has experienced injury as a result of long-term exposure to zinc-containing denture cream, please fee free to contact this office to speak directly with me.  I can assist you in determining whether there may be a viable legal claim.   To contact me directly, click here.

The test strips were manufactured between January and September 2010.

The test strips from these lots are defective because they fail to absorb the appropriate amount of blood in order to provide an accurate reading of glucose levels.  As a result, these may give false blood level results, causing a patient to either raise his blood glucose level unnecessarily or fail to treat a high blood glucose level due to a false low reading.
Note: Only the test strips themselves have a defect, not the monitoring systems used with the strips.

This recall effects lots sold in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  They were available to consumers in retail stores, but were also purchased by hospitals and other health care facilities.

If you or someone you know has been injured by the use of a potentially defective glucose test strip from any of the above-listed brand names, please contact me by clicking here.

What this means is that lawsuits related to asbestos exposure are still ongoing.  What started the trend toward  mass tort litigation in the late 60s and 70s is still a viable claim against some of the same companies that were sued all those years ago. This is because the latency period, the time it takes for the exposure to result in injury, takes more than 25 to 30 years. I have litigated cases on behalf of the sons of car mechanics and shipyard workers who hugged their fathers when they came home from working with asbestos products.  The dust from their clothes contained asbestos fibers which are easily breathed in.  These fibers embed themselves in the lungs and over time cause cellular changes in the respiratory cells of the lungs as well as the mesothelial cells that make up the paper-thin sac lining (or pleura) that holds the lungs in place.  Mesothelioma, a malignant cancer of the mesothelial cell lining is almost always fatal.  It is also closely associated with asbestos exposure.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Pleural effusion ( fluid between the lung and the chest wall), chest wall pain, shortness of breath, anemia and fatigue, cough, blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis).

Exposure Risks

The following is a list of jobs where there is a risk of asbestos exposure:

• Auto Mechanics
• Pipefitters and Plumbers
• Construction
• Power plants and Industrial settings whose buildings were constructed using asbestos-containing materials
• Mining-talc and vermiculite
• Railroad Workers
• Textile industry
• Insulating Shipyard/Ship Building
• Asbestos Abatement Work

If you or someone you love has contracted an asbestos-related illness then contact me to discuss your legal options.

As with most pharmaceutical medications, there are side effects from using Accutane including, chapped lips 90%, dry skin and itching, joint and muscle pains.  More side effects can be obtained from reading the label that comes with this prescription.  Serious side effects are liver damage and conditions of the colon including:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a debilitating and dangerous condition. It often involves severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and/or constipation. IBD can cause life-threatening complications and secondary conditions. In some cases, radical treatment such as colostomy is required. IBD primarily affects the digestive system, but it can cause damage to other internal organs and the inflammation sometimes spreads to other parts of the body.

Crohn’s Disease is a type inflammatory bowel disease that commonly affects the small intestine, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus. Crohn’s disease typically causes abdominal pain and often causes diarrhea, vomiting, or both. Depending on the area of the digestive system that is attacked, people with Crohn’s disease may experience rectal bleeding, abscesses or ulcers around the anus, dangerous weight loss, and even joint pain and skin lesions. Crohn’s disease has been associated with use of accutane.

Ulcerative Colitis is another type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the colon. It involves inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon causing cramping, pain, diarrhea, and frequent bowel movements. Because they have the same symptoms, ulcerative colitis is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the complications of ulcerative colitis are much more serious. Ulcerative colitis has been associated with the use of Accutane.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease such as those above, please contact me to discuss whether you may have a viable legal claim against the manufacturer of this drug.

My firm handles cases in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.  For cases outside this tri-state area, my 18 years of experience has provided me with a network of excellent colleagues who can serve as local counsel in each state as required.

Whatever your need is from an attorney, choose to contact me for a free consultation.  Weekend and evening appointments are available to fit your schedule.