Recently, on June 9th, a federal jury in Illinois awarded $15 million in compensation to a California child born with a split spine and spina bifida as a result of his mother’s use of Depakote during pregnancy. (E.G., et. al. v. Abbott Laboratories, 15-cv-00702, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois) Specifically, the jury found that Depakote’s drug maker, Abbott Laboratories, failed to properly warn the child’s mother and her doctors that its Depakote drug could cause birth defects, including a split spine and spina bifida. The child has undergone 12 surgeries and is confined to a wheelchair. Depakote is an antiepilepsy drug used to treat a number of conditions.
The child’s lawsuit is one of hundreds pending in the United States against the drug maker for birth defects in children whose mothers used Depakote during pregnancy. The lawsuits allege that the mothers and their doctors were not told of the true dangers to developing fetuses when they were prescribed the medication. Instead, Abbott downplayed the risk to the fetuses. As a result, the mothers had no way of knowing that the drug they took during pregnancy would or could result in fetal malformation.
Borgess Law will continue to keep you updated on the status of the Depakote birth defect litigation.
How We Can Help:
If your child was born with any birth defects following use of Depakote during pregnancy, you should be aware of the ongoing litigation.
Attorney Pamela A. Borgess, the founder of Borgess Law, LLC, has extensive experience with numerous national high-profile defective medical drug/device cases, including birth defect cases, and can discuss your legal options. For more information about the Depakote birth defect litigation or to discuss a potential claim, contact Borgess Law at (567) 455-5955 or toll-free at (844) LAW-9144. You can also contact Borgess Law by submitting an online inquiry. Borgess Law never charges for initial consultations. We welcome any questions you may have.