Paxil Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers – What You Should Know

The antidepressant drug Paxil, manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, has been the target of litigation for a variety of injuries including acts of violence, suicide, and serious withdrawal symptoms. When birth defects were discovered to be a Paxil side effect, Paxil lawsuits were filed for those injuries as well.

The first lawsuit against Paxil’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, for a child born with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a life-threatening lung condition that can cause serious permanent damage in infants who live, was filed in 2006. Other lawsuits involving babies born with heart defects were filed against GlaxoSmithKline in 2006 and 2007. In all of these cases the mothers had taken Paxil during their pregnancies.

 Several Paxil lawsuits have been filed to recover damages for patients who committed suicide while taking Paxil. For example, a Paxil lawsuit was filed in California in 2005 by the grandparents of a 20-year-old man whose symptoms worsened after taking Paxil, until he committed suicide. This Paxil litigation argues that the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, failed to adequately warn about the dangers of increased suicidal thoughts and behavior in patients taking Paxil.

Several Paxil class action lawsuits have been filed to recover damages for injuries caused by this drug. One class action in California has alleged that Paxil causes severe withdrawal symptoms and that that the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, concealed information about those Paxil side effects from the public. The causes of action in that suit include fraud and deceit, negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty and implied warranty. GlaxoSmithKline has settled several Paxil lawsuits, but critics have complained that the settlements have prohibited plaintiffs from revealing information that is needed to ensure people are compensated for the harm done by Paxil.

GlaxoSmithKline has also been accused by governmental entities of illegally interfering with the release of a generic version of the same drug as Paxil, and causing states to pay more for the drug in their health programs. In March 2006 GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $14 million in settlement of the dispute, to be divided among the states affected.

Check out the following articles for more information about Paxil, filing a Paxil lawsuit and finding a Paxil attorney:

• For more information about Paxil, see Drug Overview: Paxil Side Effects and Claims
• For more information about Paxil side effects, see Paxil Side Effects – Suicide, Birth Defects & Death from Coronary Artery Disease
• To find out more about the FDA warning, see Paxil Side Effects and Risks
• For more information about Paxil updates, see Paxil Information and Warnings
• To learn more about Paxil attorneys and how to find one, see Hiring a Paxil Attorney and Lawyer