Hiring a Protonix Lawyer for Protein Pump Inhibitor Birth Defects

Hiring a Protonix lawyer has become essential for many women who were prescribed Protonix and whose infants suffer from varying types of Protonix birth defects.

Protonix is one of a group of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, including Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium, which were prescribed to more than 119 million women in 2009 alone—including many pregnant women. The drug is used to treat problems with excess stomach acid, including acid reflux, a condition commonly caused or exacerbated by pregnancy.

Unfortunately, Protonix and other PPI medications are now the subject of Protonix lawsuits, as new evidence shows the drug may significantly increase the risk of cardiac malformations, among other birth defects.

The Risk of Protonix Birth Defects

Although the FDA classifies PPI medication as a “Category B” drug, which means that there have not been sufficient studies completed on the use of the medication in pregnant women, several recent studies indicate serious risk. These studies may provide important evidence in a Protonix lawsuit, and a Protonix lawyer will most likely use them to help prove the drug was dangerous and the cause of harm to your baby.

One study conducted in Denmark in 2010 indicated that the risk of birth defects in an infant exposed to a PPI medication was as much as 39 percent greater than for those who weren’t exposed. The University of Pennsylvania also released the results of a study in 2010 focused on cardiac birth defects and found that the chances of a cardiac malformation as much as doubled due to PPI exposure in the womb.

Why Hire a Protonix Lawyer for Protonix Birth Defects?

Many of the birth defects linked to PPI medications can be extremely serious, lifelong, expensive to treat or even fatal. Some examples of possible Protonix birth defects include:

• Septal defects: Atrial septal defects involve a hole between the heart’s upper chambers, and ventricle septal defects involve a hole between the lower chambers
• Tetralogy of Fallot: Multiple Protonix heart defects are present in the infant.
• Malformed or improperly developed heart, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome or hypoplastic right heart syndrome.
• Liver lungs, brain, limb or kidney problems.
• Coarctation of the aorta: Restricted blood flow caused by a narrowing of the aorta.

When an infant suffers from any of these birth defects, a Protonix lawyer may feel the case is eligible for a Protonix lawsuit. If the plaintiffs succeed in such a lawsuit, they may be able to obtain damages including the cost of treating the condition, lost wages, compensation for the pain and suffering the child endures, and compensation for emotional distress.

Getting Help from a Protonix Lawyer

When a dangerous product causes a birth defect, the manufacturer of that product may be held responsible. If you or a loved one has been affected by Protonix birth defects, contact an experienced Protonix lawyer at Chaffin Luhana LLP at 1-888-480-1123 for a free and confidential case review. You may be entitled to compensation, and the lawyers at Chaffin Luhana can help.