As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I have seen numerous cases where the negligence of drug companies results in catastrophic injuries or even death. According to an Associated Press news report, actor Dennis Quaid has filed a lawsuit against Illinois-based Baxter Healthcare Corp. alleging that his newborn twins nearly died because of a Heparin overdose caused by faulty packaging. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and alleges that the packaging caused the confusion leading to the near-fatal incident at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Near Deadly Mix-Up

The lawsuit states that the mix-up at the hospital occurred because heparin and a lower-dose version of the blood thinning drug, Hep-Lock, are both packaged in similar blue vials with small print on the labels. The lawsuit also states that the drug maker should have recalled the heparin vials because the company knew infants had died because of medication errors similar to what happened to the Quaid twins.

Dennis Quaid and his wife reached a $500,000 settlement with the hospital in June 2009. The drug was recalled in March 2008 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because of contamination. On May 14, 2008, Quaid testified at a hearing on Capitol Hill with regard to the drug.

Dangerous Drugs

This is an important issue and I am pleased to note that a Hollywood actor is drawing attention to it. Quaid apparently feels strongly about this issue because his twins nearly died as a result of this mistaken overdose. Several children died or suffered serious personal injuries before this incident because of the confusion associated with the similar looking vials of heparin.

There is no question that any medication will have its side effects. But very often patients are unnecessarily injured or killed because of faulty administration of the drug or because of misleading packaging, as in this particular case. The drug maker should have recalled the vials of heparin as soon as they received reports of the earlier deaths.

Pharmaceutical Liability

In such cases negligent pharmaceutical companies can be held financially liable for wrongful death, medical expenses, pain and suffering as well as emotional distress. Drug companies stay away from expensive recalls because they are worried about their bottom line. They tend to put profits over the safety and well-being of their own consumers. Litigation is a fair and effective way to hold these negligent pharmaceutical companies responsible for their actions.

Have you had a similar experience with heparin or other drugs? We would like to hear about your experience?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.

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