January 14, 2015 — A jury in Philadelphia has heard opening arguments from an attorney representing a man who used Actos to treat diabetes and subsequently developed bladder cancer, according to Law360.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of John Kristufek, a retired high-school teacher who was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2009. In 2011, he had surgery to remove his bladder.
After contacting an attorney, Kristufek filed suit against Takeda Pharmaceuticals in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in July 2012.
Kristufek used Actos for four years before his cancer diagnosis. When his doctor learned about the link between Actos and cancer, he immediately took all of his patients off the drug.
Takeda has already faced at least eight trials, including one other trial in Philadelphia that ended with a $2 million jury award for the plaintiff in October 2014.
Takeda is facing thousands of lawsuits from people who accuse the Japanese drug-maker and its American marketing company, Eli Lilly, of failing to warn about the risk of cancer. There is evidence that Takeda knew about the risks as early as 2004.
Unfortunately, critical evidence of wrongdoing may have been destroyed. The only federal lawsuit to go to trial ended in an eye-popping $9 billion jury verdict last April, though it was reduced to $38 million under state law capping punitive damages.
A major factor in the multi-billion award was Takeda’s destruction of documents on dozens of current and former employees, including executives who were involved in the sales and marketing of Actos in the United States.
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The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Actos induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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