Posted by A Tennessee family is filing a Zoloft Birth defect lawsuit against Pfizer Inc., claiming that the anti-anxiety drug caused their son to be born prematurely with severe birth defects. Talon Ward did take Zoloft while she was still pregnant with Reuben Ward. The birth defect lawsuit is currently in the litigation stage and could be filed soon. The parents have until August to submit a written answer to the complaint if they wish to proceed in court.
Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuit
This is the first known case of birth defect due to SSRI antidepressants. The birth defects were not detected until six months after the child was born. The doctors noticed that Reuben’s pediatrician had documented that Renee Ward had low levels of serotonin, which are both needed by the fetus to develop.
The lawsuit says that these low levels caused Renee to fail to contract the contractions that are necessary for a normal pregnancy. It is not known if the birth defects were as a result of Zoloft or another drug.
The lawsuit comes as a result of an eight-month investigation by the U.S Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA conducted the investigation after a series of stories by Fox News were aired about birth defects linked to anti-depressants. One of the stories reported that a child died after his parents took Zoloft. Since the FDA began investigating Pfizer’s drug, all of the company’s anti-depressants have been pulled off the shelves.
The plaintiffs in the Zoloft Birth defect lawsuit are seeking punitive damages on behalf of the child who suffered.
They also seek damages for medical bills, lost income, and counseling. They argue that since the drug was prescribed by a doctor, it was inherently risky and defective. The birth defects occurred when Renee, who was born at approximately 21 weeks’ gestation, became pregnant.
The lawsuit further states that the drug caused the pre-eclampsia, or water in the blood, which is a condition that occurs in about one out of every hundred births. The condition can cause problems including the development of kidney and liver problems.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers have previously won cases from other manufacturers of Zoloft. In 2021, a New Jersey federal court awarded $1.75 million to a woman who was the victim of negligence by her pediatrician.
The court found that the doctor improperly injected the drug into the child, and that he failed to instruct the patient about the risk of adverse effects. A similar case was settled in 2021 in the U.S. for a total amount of $1.75 million.
Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuit cases are generally sensitive, and litigators often try to avoid situations that could result in costly mistakes.
For this reason, attorneys try their best to avoid prescribing products containing ingredients such as Zoloft. However, sometimes products do become contaminated with lead, which can also cause birth defects. If you think that you have a case, it is wise to consult an attorney. This is to ensure that the law firm is not creating a risk that is too high, and that they properly warn the public about this potential problem.