Are all Duragesic fentanyl pain patches dangerous?
Everyone, including the manufacturer, agrees that the patches that were recalled are dangerous. In fact, the recall letter states that they are so dangerous that you shouldn't even handle them with your bare hands. The recalled patches had a manufacturing defect.
Not everyone agrees that the patches have a design defect. A design defect means that even if the patches are manufactured without a defect, the patches are still too dangerous to be safe. One of the reasons that many people (like me) believe the patches are defectively designed is that they can leak fentanyl gel. If you have concerns about the safety of your Duragesic patch, talk to your doctor. Only he or she can give you medical advice.
Who makes fentanyl pain patches?
The Duragesic patch is manufactured by ALZA in Vacaville, California. ALZA is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. ALZA also makes "generic" Duragesic patches for Sandoz.
Several other companies make generic fentanyl patches, including Mylan, Teva, Watson, and Actavis. The Actavis patches are actually manufactured by a company named Corium.
How do I know if I have a Duragesic fentanyl patch lawsuit?
The Duragesic lawyers I know tell me that a good case is one in which:
- Someone had their own prescription for the Duragesic patch.
- That person was either hospitalized or died after using the Duragesic patch.
- A death certificate, autopsy, or other medical record blames the death or injury on "acute fentanyl intoxication" or there is other medical evidence connecting the injury to the patch.
- The person who was injured or killed was not also using any illegal drugs.
Additionally, the person must not have misused their Duragesic patch. Some people cut open Duragesic patches and eat the gel or try to smoke it. If that's what happened, I don't know anyone who can help you.
If I do have a Duragesic case, how much money is it worth?
That's a question you should ask one of my attorney friends. I can tell you that the range of jury verdicts for Duragesic cases that have gone to trial has been from roughly $750,000 to about $16,000,000. Of course, my lawyer friends will be the first to tell you that just because a prior jury awarded $16 million dollars doesn't mean yours will, too.
How much will it cost me to file a fentanyl lawsuit?
Absolutely nothing. My lawyer friends will only get out of money that they recover for you. You will never be asked to pay any costs of your case, or asked to pay any attorney fee if they do not recover money for you. And since they only get paid out of any money they recover for you, you know they'll work very hard to maximize the amount of money recovered.
How long do I have to decide what to do?
That's another question a licensed attorney will have to answer. Every state has what's called a statute of limitations. If you don't file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations runs out, you'll never be able to file it. Why not use the form below to let me put you in touch with a fentanyl patch lawyer who can answer any questions you have?
