There are approximately 330 Zoloft birth defect lawsuits currently pending against Pfizer in federal multidistrict litigation (MDL). This MDL was established in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania to streamline the litigation process for the numerous lawsuits involving children who have suffered Zoloft birth defects. The first bellwether trials are set to begin in 2014, but the selection process for choosing the bellwether trials has already begun. Following discovery and pretrial proceedings, the first bellwether trial is set to begin September 12, 2014.
The families who filed these Zoloft birth defect lawsuits all claim that their child was born with a severe birth defect after the mothers took Zoloft during pregnancy. Zoloft is a SSRI drug that is often taken to combat depression. Complaints allege that Zoloft increases the risk of delivering a child with birth defects.
One study that was cited monitored 10,000 infants who were born with birth defects and 6,000 healthy babies. The study found that women who took Zoloft had twice the risk of having a baby born with a serious heart defect. Since then, numerous studies have linked Zoloft to a variety of congenital birth defects, including:
- Clubbed Foot
- Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
- Autism
- Pulmonary Atresia
- Pulmonary Stenosis
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- Coarctation of the Aorta
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Skull Defects and Malformation
- Neural Tube Defects
- Anal Atresia
- Spina Bifida
- Gastrochisis
- Delayed Development
Perhaps even more devastating to these families and their children is that the lawsuits allege that Pfizer knew of these increased risks but did not provide sufficient warnings to the general public, expecting mothers, and their physicians.
Zoloft Lawsuit Attorneys
If your child was born with a birth defect after you were prescribed the dangerous drug Zoloft, it is important to speak with a Zoloft lawsuit attorney immediately. The national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Law Firm can help. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.