"I think that most people who settled years ago for a negligible amount would also be surprised to know that they can re-open their claim. A lot of people my age don’t have computers and don’t know what is going on.”There are two Fen-phen “camps”: those consumers with minor injuries who originally settled with Fen-Phen drug manufacturers and those who had no Fen-Phen side effects and did not join a Fen-Phen lawsuit. Now a judge has ruled that both camps may be eligible to file a claim.
“When the Fen-phen lawsuits settled, people thought the injury had a time limit but over the course of time injuries continue to occur,” says attorney Ben Stewart. “If you originally settled with a minor injury, and have now developed a serious condition, you can file a claim. Or you didn’t have an injury and didn’t settle, now you can come back and file a claim.”
Two recent lawsuits argued that Fen-phen consumers developed PPH several years after using the diet pill. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (the company that invented the drug) attorneys argued that the cases should be thrown out because the plaintiffs had no evidence that Fen-phen could cause PPH more than a decade after the pills were discontinued. The judge disagreed. In September 2012, Judge Bartle ruled that Fen-phen lawsuits involving latent Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) will be allowed to proceed.
Judge Bartle determined that enough scientific evidence supported the latent PPH argument, which is extremely good news for the plaintiffs and countless other Fen-phen users who are now suffering from life-threatening PPH, a severe lung disease that causes progressive lung and heart damage, and often leads to heart failure. There is no cure for PPH.
Even if you took Fen-phen back in 1997, like Patricia and her husband did, and are just now developing symptoms of PPH, you may be eligible to file a Fen-phen lawsuit. Patricia is filing a Fen-phen claim on behalf of her deceased husband and herself. They both took the Fen-phen diet pill for about two years.
“My husband, Delbert, had open heart surgery in 2001 and had six bypasses and now I too have heart disease,” says Patricia. “Neither of us had any signs of heart disease before taking the drug so I really think that Fen-phen contributed to his death, and now I am facing Fen-phen injuries.”
Patricia, who had a stent implanted several years ago and is now on heart meds, doesn’t remember getting any information about the side effects or risks when they were prescribed the drug to lose weight.
“We both started having heart palpitations so we stopped taking Fen-phen on our own because we thought it wasn’t good for us—our doctor didn’t advise us to stop taking it,” Patricia adds. “I remember that it took us about three months for our hearts to stop racing, to get it out of our system. We thought we were out of the woods but that wasn’t to be.
"Delbert began to have chest pains and we got him to a cardiologist. They found the blockages and said he needed surgery immediately. It was a shock to both of us. At that time we never made the connection with heart disease and Fen-phen--you just accept what the doctor tells you and you just carry on.
"We had gotten a letter in 2002 from “Pounds Away”, a weight loss clinic where a doctor prescribed the Fen-phen but we ignored the letter because we weren’t having any problems back then.
READ MORE PPH AND FEN-PHEN LEGAL NEWS
"There are days when my heart races. I think that I would have had a heart attack and probably wouldn’t be here either if not for taking heart meds and being under the care of a cardiologist. I take care of myself and watch what I eat, I exercise daily: I walk and use the treadmill and if I get the chance, sit-ups and other exercises. I never drink sodas and limit coffee to two cups a day. I don’t eat any red meat and don’t drink. I’m feeling pretty good but I am still dealing with my husband’s death—I really believe he would be here today if not for Fen-Phen.”
READER COMMENTS
Ramona Torchio
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How can I find out anything about my claim, since all the paper work I have is outdated.
Sally Staples
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S. A. K.
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Barbara Fritts
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sherry butler
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Shirley
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Lisa
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Francis
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She was a great loving mom then she took this stuff and just went into her own world. My dad ended up divorcing her because she refused to see a doctor.
Does anyone know any good lawyers to open a lawsuit? We never tried to sue before but after talking with family they said it could have been fen Phen. Has anyone experienced something like this?
Audrey Downs
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Ursula Haydee Marchese
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Angie Ward
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Jewell Salyers
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Nicole donald
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Mona
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Beth
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Mike Si pson
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Nita
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Patricia Hamilton
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Sherry T McCarley Paxson
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Walter jones
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gave lawerance 1/3
Leandre Crowell
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william lucoff
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Glenda Robinson
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re-enter the lawsuit and was my lawyers from minnesota at the time overpaid.
Jill
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Vickie
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Tammy stevens
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Debbie
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tinue to be to this day. While I was in hospital, I was watching the news & they were just then reporting the suspected problems associated with taking the drug. I entered the class action.~~Thank goodness! I did receive a settlement in 2001 (the paperwork work was overwhelming & also, trying to compile all the medical info~~but I did!). In 2006 or 2009 I received another check where they determined that they had paid the lawyers too much. This past week, I received another letter from my 'class action' attorneys informing me that there is additional monies to be had. I have all of my paperwork because initially it set forth that the class action would end in its entirety in 2017, so they are probably trying to distribute the leftover funds. Yay!
Ramona Torchio
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Angelic Calvin
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Teresa
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Jill Thompson
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Ellen Marie Peck
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But luckily I kept my file from 2002 & looked at my medical reports & see that I do have Mitra Valve Prolapse
If this is the Law Firm that called me Please Contact Me via E-Mail
Thank You
Brandy rigsby
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kitty french
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rosaland trapier
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r, barbara trapier
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fen phen. I will never be the same, not even close. I need your help. Please help me.
Sharon T
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Then this last fall, another message from a different group of attorneys who wanted my medical records. Neither the Dr who filled the prescriptions, nor my insurance company at the time has records that far back (90"s) and the pharmacy I used is out of business so just where would those records come from that far back?
In 11/97 I was hospitalized with a serious blood clot........and somehow got those records..........but they sure don't mention fen-phen.............only extremely high blood pressure. And the icing on the cake? I was recently diagnosed with white matter disease of the brain that they are thinking came from my blood pressure being so high.
JENETTA SHEALEY
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DEBORAH SCHUMANN
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I had address change so was not aware.
debi
Robbie
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Michele Lee
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E.Bernard Williams
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Mel
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Also for those who have not watched it, they did a show on AMerican Greed : Scams about this case. If your wondering why you didn't get anything, this show will explain to you.
Your attorney's ripped you off!!
Now maybe a class action should be brought against that group of lawyers to get you money back!
stacey
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rhonda
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Debra
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Linda
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Jill
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Marion Fowler
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Dennis
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If anyone knows what us little guys can do before we pass on please let me know. My attorney wont even return my email or call on it so I just gave up until I read these post of people like me that was mistreated. Thank you all and God Bless you and yours.
Debra Gann
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Commie
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Martha
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Michelle Vinson
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CW Sweeney
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Michelle Vinson
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donna fowler
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Michelle Vinson
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If you have someone have them contact me and I will have an attorney that I find do the same thing. I have had open heart surgery and received less than 10,000 dollars
Jill
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Samantha Adams
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I do wonder about some of the reader comments though. It's possible that fen-phen caused other problems, but I thought there was only a chance of winning a lawsuit for PPH or the particular type of valve damage fen-phen is known to cause. Not strokes, other types of valve or heart damage, fibromyalgia, tremors, afib, etc. It would be very difficult I think, even impossible, to establish that fen-phen caused those other problems.
Stacey
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D B
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LB
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Frances Hart
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Michelle Vinson
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Joy Hart
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Scared Mom
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Evelyn
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Natalie Calloway
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delores b
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Shelia adams
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Beth
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Here's the latest update on the Diet Drug Settlement.
This is probably what Claire Iles's heard about.
Let's disuss further .
Thanks,
Myra
Louise Bates
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