May 16, 2014 — Bloomberg reports that Takeda Pharmaceuticals has won a jury trial in Chicago involving Actos (pioglitazone) and bladder cancer.
After a four-week trial, the jury deliberated for only two hours before deciding that Takeda was not responsible for the death of William Whitlatch, a man who died of bladder cancer in 2006 after taking Actos.
The plaintiff, Diane Whitlatch, filed the lawsuit on behalf of her husband. She argued that Takeda knew about the risk of bladder cancer but failed to provide sufficient warnings for five years after her husband’s death. Takeda argued that Whitlatch’s bladder cancer was caused by diabetes and a history of smoking cigarettes.
This is the third Actos lawsuit Takeda has won, and they are appealing another verdict. A jury trial is currently underway in Las Vegas on behalf of two women who are seeking $1 billion in damages.
Last month, Takeda lost a lawsuit for a stunning $9 billion in punitive damages, awarded by a jury in Louisiana. A major factor in the record-setting award was Takeda’s destruction of vital documents. Recent Supreme Court decisions will likely overturn the punitive damages. The plaintiff, Terrence Allen, was also awarded $1.5 million in compensation for his bladder cancer.
In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that people who used high doses of Actos for long periods of time were up to 40% more likely to develop bladder cancer.
Do I have an Actos Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Actos induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured, 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.
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.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
