What We Do
Defective Medical Products
- Medicines
- Accutane Lawsuit
- AMO Complete Moistureplus Recall
- Apothecure Colchicine Lawsuit
- Baxter Heparin Recall and Lawsuit
- Bayer Lawsuit
- Bismacine Chromacine
- Botox
- Carbinoxamine
- Chromium Poisoning (Toxicity)
- Colchicine Recall Lawyer
- Colistimethate Lawsuit Lawyer
- Compounding Pharmacy Error
- Edetate Disodium
- Fentanyl
- Fentanyl Lawsuit
- Fentanyl Patch Recall
- Fentora
- Fleet Lawsuit - Phosphate Nephropathy
- Fosamax Osteonecrosis Jaw
- Ketek Liver Failure
- Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch
- Pharmacist Malpractice
- Promethazine
- Rocephin Death
- Selenium Poisoning (Toxicity)
- Topical Anesthetic
- Total Body Formula Recall and Lawsuit
- Trasylol and Kidney Failure
- Trasylol - Lawyer and Lawsuit
- Trasylol Recall
- Tysabri Lawsuit - No Recall
- Zelnorm Heart Attack Stroke Lawsuit
- Medical Equipment
- Medtronic Defibrillator Leads
- Medtronic Lawsuit
- Medtronic Lawyer
- Guidant Recalls
- Free Guidant Recall Consultation
- Guidant Ancure
- Guidant Lawsuit Recall
- Guidant Pacemaker Defibrillator Defect
- Guidant Pacemaker Recall
- FDA Pacemaker Defibrillator Statement
- Infusion Pump
- FDA Recalls
- News & Topics
- Archives
Welcome to Pritzker | Ruohonen
Duragesic and Fentanyl
If you have been seriously injured after use of the Duragesic skin patch or a generic fentanyl skin patch used for pain, you may have a Duragesic/fentanyl lawsuit. If a family member has died after using the Duragesic patch or a generic fentanyl product, you may have a wrongful death lawsuit. To contact a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.
Injury or death associated with fentanyl may give rise to a medical malpractice claim based on medication error (see below) and/or a product liability claim (see fentanyl recall information).
Duragesic-Fentanyl Medication Error Lawsuit
In July of 2005, the FDA issued a health advisory informing health professionals that it was investigating reports of death and other serious side effects from overdoses of fentanyl in patients using fentanyl transdermal (skin) patches for pain control. The advisory was prompted by deaths and overdoses that had occurred in patients using both the brand name product Duragesic and the generic product (there was only one generic product at the time, but there are now several, including one approved in August of 2007).
The FDA advisory informed health professionals that the directions for using the fentanyl skin patch should be followed exactly to prevent death or other serious side effects from overdosing with fentanyl. These directions were made available to health professionals.
Although it has been 2 years since the FDA advisory, some incidences of medication error involving the Duragesic skin patch and generic fentanyl skin patches are still occurring.
If any of the following applies to your use or a family member's use of Duragesic or a generic product, please contact a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen:
- Prescription of the Duragesic pain patch or generic pain patch for short-term pain, pain that was not constant, or pain after an operation. According to the FDA advisory, fentanyl skin patches should only be used by patients who are already taking other narcotic painkillers (opioid tolerant), and who have chronic pain that is not well controlled with shorter-acting painkillers.
- Prescription of the Duragesic patch or a generic pain patch without consideration of other medications the patient may have been on. The Duragesic and generic pain patches should not be used with other medicines that affect brain function or that affect how fentanyl is broken down in the body.
- Prescription of the Duragesic patch or a generic fentanyl skin patch without warning the patient of the dangerous nature of the medication. According to the FDA advisory, "Patients who are using the fentanyl skin patch and their caregivers should be told about the directions for safe use of the patch and should follow the directions exactly." for example, patients should know that heat can adversly react with the fentanyl, and sunbathing, exercise, hot tubs, even a hot shower can trigger an overdose.
Free Case Consultation
Firm News
Fred Pritzker Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
Fred Pritzker has been notified that he will again be listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in personal injury litigation.
Pain and Suffering
Rich Ruohonen recently chaired a legal seminar on obtaining compensation for pain and suffering in a personal injury case. Rich uses his knowledge, experience, and reputation to maximize recoveries for clients.
Medtronic Recall and Medtronic Lawsuit
FDA has annonced a Medtronic Spring Fidelis defibrillator lead recall. Two of our clients with defective Medtronic leads were shocked over twenty times before medical professionals were able to turn off the defibrillator.
Fleet Lawsuit
We are representing several people who experienced kidney failure (acute phosphate nephropathy) after use of Fleet Phospho-soda solution or Fleet Accu-Prep solution for bowel cleansing.
Ortho Evra Lawsuit: Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch
The Ortho Evra birth control patch has been linked to an increased risk of blood clots that can lead to pulmonary embolism, stroke and heart attack.
Trasylol Recall
Bayer has agreed to a marketing suspension of Trasylol, a drug used to control bleeding during heart surgery, pending detailed review of preliminary results from a Canadian study that suggested an increased risk for death.
Fentanyl Lawsuit and Fentanyl Recall
There have been a number of recalls regarding fentanyl due to the risk of a fentanyl overdose.
Fosamax and Osteonecrosis
Several cases of bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw have been associated with the use of oral bisphosphonates, including Fosamax®, Actonel®, and other medications.