Pharmaceutical Class Action Lawsuits – Why You Should Not Join Class Action Lawsuits Against Pharmaceutical Companies
Pharmaceutical companies have been pushing lawsuits for years and many Class Action lawsuits are filed on a regular basis when these companies attempt to weaken or eliminate competing drugs. There is a high demand for these types of cases, especially since the Food and Drug Administration tends to approve just one new drug a year. In fact, this lawsuit process can become quite expensive. The cost of filing a lawsuit will depend on many factors including the type of injury being suffered, the cost of medical care and personal injury attorneys and court costs.
One of the biggest reasons that people decide to file a lawsuit of this nature is the suffering that they have experienced as a result of taking prescribed drugs.
Risperdal, Adderall, Prozac and Xanax have all been implicated in some way as causing depression, emotional disturbances and even suicide. While prescription drug companies like to tout their products as safe, over the counter medications have also faced accusations of causing many medical problems as well. For example, did you know that the FDA itself is responsible for over 20 million recalls each year? Many people are hesitant to file a Class Action lawsuit because they feel that the courts will not rule in their favor, and they don’t want to take the risk of the prolonged court process that these lawsuits require. However, if you have a good case and a strong case then you can have great success in getting compensation for injuries that you have sustained as a result of prescription drug use.
In addition to joining class action lawsuits, there are other alternatives to filing a lawsuit in federal court that can be much less costly and time consuming.
First, many companies are now using private arbitration instead of going through the expensive lawsuits process. Arbitration is a private agreement between a neutral third-party that handles the dispute between the parties in a civilized manner. Many times arbitration is much cheaper and faster to resolve than going through a lengthy court battle.
When joining class action lawsuits, make sure that you are joining a good company with a good reputation.
It does not hurt to ask your prospective attorney what company he/she represents and what payment terms he/she offers to their clients. The fees charged by attorneys vary widely from one company to the next. Do not hesitate to ask about fees; it is a sign of a good lawyer if he or she will discuss fees openly and honestly. If you do not see this upfront then make sure that you find out what the terms are before signing any type of legal documents. If you do your homework you will be able to avoid paying exorbitant fees.
There are other alternative methods to filing a lawsuit that does not involve holding the pharmaceutical company liable.
If the manufacturer of a dangerous product does not hold them liable, then lawsuits cannot be filed. In fact, the very act of creating the product could be seen as a violation of patent laws. Holding a pharmaceutical company accountable for a product’s design or manufacturing could result in huge financial trouble for the pharmaceutical company. Therefore, they would rather have the lawsuit removed from the record and any monetary damages awarded to the victim eliminated.
In the end, joining a pharmaceutical class action lawsuit should not be your only option available.
If the manufacturer of a dangerous product has disregarded the law and done nothing to hold the responsible party accountable, then other options should be considered. Pharmaceutical companies are becoming more reckless by the day. If you have been injured through no fault of your own through the use of a harmful product, then a lawsuit should definitely be filed on your behalf.
