Please note, The Schmidt Firm, LLP is no longer accepting Lap Band claims. If you feel that you may have a potential case, we urge you to locate another law firm adequately suited to handle your claim.

January 4, 2012 — Facing increasing pressure from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the advertising company responsible for the ubiquitous 1-800-GET-THIN advertisements have placed a warning on their website about the risk of Lap-Band Surgery. The company is now facing numerous Lap-Band Class Action Lawsuits. If you have been injured, you may want to contact a Lap-Band lawyer. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

 

The warning, in small print at the bottom of the website, reads:

• Placement of the LAP-BAND® System is major surgery and, as with any surgery, death can occur. Possible complications include the risks associated with the medications and methods used during surgery, the risks associated with any surgical procedure, and the patient’s ability to tolerate a foreign object implanted in the body. Band slippage, erosion and deflation, reflux, obstruction of the stomach, dilation of the esophagus, infection, or nausea and vomiting may occur. Re-operation may be required. Rapid weight loss may result in complications that may require additional surgery. Deflation of the band may alleviate excessively rapid weight loss or esophageal dilation.

The new safety warning is in response to warning letters that the FDA sent the company last month, in which the FDA found that the advertising campaigns were misleading consumers by minimizing risk information. It is against federal law to promote a medical device without also clearly warning consumers of the risks and side effects.

The marketing company president has told the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors that it will begin making changes to the rest of its advertising.

The company is facing numerous Lap-Band class action lawsuits, brought by people who were injured after weight-loss surgery. There have been at least five deaths in Southern California since 2009 at surgery centers affiliated with 1-800-GET-THIN. If you have been injured or know someone who has been injured from weight-loss surgery, you should contact a lawyer at The Schmidt Firm, LLP. We can help you get the compensation you deserve.

There is growing concern that the massive advertising campaign for the Lap-Band is misleading people. The manufacturer of Lap-Band, Allergan, Inc., has also taken steps to distance itself from the company responsible for 1-800-GET-THIN, by giving doctors new guidelines about the quality of information that they must give patients — including clear risk information.

The risks of weight-loss surgery include death. People who are overweight are already at an increased risk of serious, life-threatening complications during surgery. The problem with the Lap-Band, gastric band, and other weight-loss surgeries is that people often need multiple surgeries, thus increasing their chance of complications. The Lap-Band, a silicone ring placed around the upper part of the stomach, requires a serious abdominal surgery to place it around the stomach. Patients often need additional surgeries to adjust the ring if it moves, replace it if it breaks, or remove it if the person suffers complications. People who have weight-loss surgery must make dramatic changes to their diet and eating habits — they can only eat portions of food the size of a walnut, or the food will back up into the esophagus. This can cause esophageal scarring, stretching of the stomach, or vomiting. There is also a small risk of death every time a person undergoes surgery.

How do I contact a Lawyer for a Lap Band Class Action Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, LLP is currently accepting Lap-Band induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has experienced a complication following weight-loss surgery, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Lap-Band Class Action Lawsuit Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.

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• Lap-Band Manufactuer Issues New Guidelines | Contact a Gastric Band Lawyer
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• 1-800-GET-THIN, Gastric Band, and Lap-Band Safety Warning