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Washington, DC Dangerous Drug Lawyers

Representing DC Residents in Dangerous Drug Injury Cases

If you were adversely affected by a dangerous drug you bought over the counter or prescribed to you by a doctor, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries under Washington, DC's product liability law. The product liability lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC have secured millions for clients who suffered at the hands of negligent medical personnel and pharmaceutical companies.

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If you believe your illness or injury was caused by a harmful drug, call today for a free consultation with a Washington, DC dangerous drug lawyer. Our caring and compassionate attorneys will investigate your case and will fiercely fight on your behalf for justice and compensation. Below are some of the recent results our firm has achieved in personal injury cases.

$77M Wrongful Death Settlement
$20M Brain Injury Verdict
$19.5M Wrongful Death Verdict
$16M Premises Liability Settlement
$15.2M Wrongful Death Settlement
$15.2M Wrongful Death Verdict
$14M Personal Injury Settlement
$11M Medical Malpractice Settlement
$8M Medical Malpractice Settlement

How Are Drugs Approved?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, better known as the FDA, is the government agency that regulates and approves the drugs allowed on the market in the United States. The agency’s approval process has received a lot of attention and criticism over the years for allowing products on the market that have major safety concerns. Because 45% of the FDA’s budget comes directly from the companies they are supposed to regulate, DC residents and the rest of the American public should be wary of any drug the FDA approves.

The approval process for prescription and over-the-counter drugs is supposed to be a five-step process:

  • Discovery/concept
  • Preclinical research
  • Clinical research
  • FDA review
  • FDA post-market safety monitoring
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What Causes Defective Drugs?

However, even with the required rigorous schedule, pharmaceutical companies may become aware of an adverse side effect of their drug and fail to report it to the FDA and consumers because it will hurt their sales. Some drugs made for one purpose are then used “off-label” for another purpose, which can cause adverse side effects that were not shown in the original clinical trials. The three ways a drug can be defective and therefore, potentially dangerous to consumers are:

  • Design defects: Defects in the medication’s chemical makeup.
  • Manufacturing defects: Defects, such as an outside contaminant, during the manufacturing process of the drug. This defects usually only affect batches of the drug, rather than the entire drug itself.
  • Marketing defect: This defect comes as a “failure to warn” doctors and consumers of a known dangerous side effect of the drug.
  • If you believe that a defective drug caused or contributed to your injuries, contact a Washington, DC dangerous drug lawyer at Regan Zambri Long PLLC today.

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What Injuries Can I Sustain from a Dangerous or Defective Drug?

Nearly 66% of adults across the United States of America take at least one prescription drug. We have all heard the commercials advising us to speak with our doctors before taking the medication, as they may cause adverse side effects. Many of us don’t pay attention to the list of potential harm the drug may do, but the reality is, many of these prescription drugs can cause dangerous and even life-threatening side effects.

Medications can also face recalls, which is when a medication is removed from the market because it is found to be defective or harmful to consumers. About 4,500 recalls take place every year for various drugs. For example, the diabetes drug Metformin (which was dispensed over 550 million times from 2000-2015) was recalled in December 2021 because of concerns that it is linked to cancer. These recalls are not often announced by the government or individual doctors, which can lead to consumers taking recalled medication and experiencing serious complications.

The injuries you can sustain from dangerous, defective, and harmful drugs are:

Common drug offenders on the U.S. market

There are countless prescription and non-prescription drugs for medical conditions that have caused serious injury and death. However, here are some of the top offenders on the U.S. market today:

Drugs with known side effects and lawsuits include:

There are many others that fall into this list. Speak to a Regan Zambri Long dangerous drug attorney today if you think you have been injured due to a medication you were prescribed or bought over the counter. Our team of skilled lawyers will investigate your case and work to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Washington, DC and the Opioid Epidemic

In 2020, opioid deaths reached an all-time high in Washington DC. Opioids, which are controlled substances are a class of drugs that help relieve pain. The problem with these particular drugs is that the consumer can become addicted within a matter of days. Critics claim opioids are severely overprescribed and that the risks most certainly outweigh the benefits. 94% of the DC overdoses in 2020 involved the drug Fentynal, which is a synthetic opioid that is over 80 times stronger than morphine.

There are three typical ways patients obtain prescription opioid drugs despite no longer having a medical need for them:

  • Opioid drugs are pushed by doctors and pharmaceutical companies to increase profits, regardless of the patient’s need for them.
  • Opioid drugs are stolen from doctors and pharmacists who do not follow proper drug inventory procedures.
  • Doctors prescribe opioids to patients without a proper medical examination.

Both public and private businesses are working together in Washington DC to defeat this crisis. If you or your loved one were wrongly prescribed an opioid and suffered an overdose, speak to a dangerous drug attorney at Regan Zambri Long. They offer free consultations to prospective clients where they will discuss all your legal options moving forward.

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How Do I Win a Dangerous or Defective Drug Case?

A product liability claim, especially involving multiple parties who are backed by aggressive insurance companies, can be intimidating. The Regan Zambri Long personal injury lawyers have a profound understanding of DC law, the court system, and various insurance policies. They will be able to help determine who is liable for your injuries and hold those people accountable for their negligence.

Determine fault

The party or parties who may be at fault for your injuries are:

Obtain proof of injury

Your lawyer will use medical records and documentation to prove that you were injured by the dangerous drug prescribed or sold to you. Be sure to keep all records of your injury or illness and any documentation, including emails, phone calls, prescriptions, and bills.

Prove strict liability or negligence

In order to recover damages for injuries from a dangerous drug, you will have to prove strict liability or legal negligence. Strict liability is when a distributor or manufacturer would be liable for injuries caused by anything they gave you, regardless of their intent. Regan Zambri Long dangerous drug lawyers will show that the drug you were given was unreasonably dangerous or the drug was defective. Negligence is when the defendant (who you will make your claim against) had a duty of care to you, failed to honor that duty, and caused injury because of the failure. For example, if you were prescribed a drug, but the pharmacy filled it incorrectly, resulting in your injury, you have a negligence claim against that pharmacy.

Finally, your lawyer will prove that you took the drug according to its directions and that you were not warned about possible injuries prior to taking the drug. The lawyers at Regan Zambri Long have over 100 years of combined experience and will work diligently to ensure you are granted a favorable settlement for your injuries. Call today for your free case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dangerous Drugs in Washington DC

Q: What damages can I collect from a dangerous drug claim?

A: If you were injured by a dangerous drug, we will work to recover the following damages for your injuries:

If your loved one passed away from dangerous drug injuries, you may be entitled to compensation. If your family wishes to pursue a wrongful death claim, we will help you recover:

Q: What should I do if I suffered an adverse effect from a medication?

A: If you suffered an adverse reaction to a medication, take the following steps:

Reach out to a Regan Zambri Long product liability lawyer for a free consultation about your dangerous drug case to determine if you have a potential claim.

Q: What role do pharmaceutical reps play in dangerous drugs?

A: Pharmaceutical manufacturers play a huge role in the prescription of dangerous drugs in Washington, DC and across the United States. A pharmaceutical kickback is a fraudulent financial incentive a drug manufacturer bribes a healthcare provider with in order to encourage them to prescribe certain medications. The incentives can come in the form of money, lavish vacations, gifts, and even phony research grants. One JAMA Network study found that 36% of prescribing physicians received industry kickbacks. You, as the patient and consumer, must always advocate for yourself while being treated by a physician. Research every medication prescribed and if there are any negative effects, contact your doctor and then a Regan Zambri Long dangerous drug lawyer immediately.

Q: What should I do if a drug I’m taking is recalled?

A: If you are taking an drug and it was recalled, stop taking the drug immediately. You may return the product to the pharmacy or store where you bought it and ask for a full refund. Many times, the manufacturers of that drug will have a hotline number you can call for more information regarding the recall.

If the recall involves a prescription drug you are taking, call your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you find out about the recall. There is no need to panic, but there is a need to get educated on the recall. You can go to the FDA website and look up the product recall. If you start experiencing any of the symptoms associated with the recall, contact your doctor right away. Finally, safely discard all the recalled drugs – most can be thrown away or returned to your pharmacy. The back label should have safety instructions for how to dispose of it safely.

Q: How can the Regan Zambri Long dangerous drug lawyers help me?

A: Our lawyers understand that Washington, DC residents have an implicit trust in their doctors and pharmacists. DC residents are entitled to taking medications without fear of harm. Our lawyers also understand that the pain and suffering you are experiencing may lead to improvements in Washington, DC and across the nation. One of our senior partners, Victor Long, has represented cases that forever changed how medications are marketed and labeled. While that doesn’t change the injuries you or your loved one suffered due to a dangerous drug, our product liability lawyers hope to provide even the smallest amount of consolation in the form of justice and compensation. Our legal team will work with medical consultants and industry experts to prove negligence in your case and secure the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries.

Call today for your free consultation with an expert dangerous drug lawyer and start the journey to securing the damages you deserve.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.

Call 202-960-4596

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