For the Plaintiff Blog » Kristian Rasmussen

FDA orders Black Box Warning for Pfizer Smoking Cessation Drug Chantix®

Kristian Rasmussen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:10:48 +0000

The FDA today mandated a “Black Box” Warning” requiring Pfizer Inc., manufacturer of Chantix®, to strengthen warnings about the health risks and dangers associated with using the drug. Chantix® is advertised as an aid to help people quit smoking. The order for a Boxed Warning comes on the heels of thousands of reports linking Chantix® to serious injuries and death. FDA officials noted “These reports included those with a temporal relationship between the use of [Chantix] and suicidal events and the occurrence of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior in patients with no history of psychiatric disease.” In addition to requiring a stronger Boxed Warning, the FDA is requiring Pfizer to “develop patient Medication Guides highlighting the risk of serious neuropsychiatric symptoms.”

WhenI filed the first lawsuits in the country on behalf of Chantix victims in 2007, Pfizer knew how dangerous Chantix is, yet they failed to properly warn consumers or physicians. Alarming evidence linking Chantix to many severe injuries and death has continued to mount since Pfizer rushed the dangerous drug onto the market. Our firm has received more than 2,900 inquiries from consumers from across the country and we currently represents more than 350 Chantix victims. If you would like to discuss Chantix litigation or refer a case, please contact me krasmussen@cwcd.com or Elizabeth Ellis Chambers, bchambers@cwcd.com or phone toll free (800) 852-6299.

Chinese Drywall Damage and Injuries – Alabama Lawyer

Kristian Rasmussen — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:07:12 +0000

Attorneys at Cory Watson in Birmingham, AL are investigating claims on behalf of homeowners and building contractors for injuries, damages, and destruction caused by defective Chinese Drywall. Attorney Kristian Rasmussen said, “we have organized a team of attorneys to investigate these claims for innocent homeowners … we will hold these rogue companies accountable.” The defective Chinese Drywall is used in home construction and has been linked to causing illness, injury and property damage. Although the full extent of injuries and damage caused by the defective drywall is not yet know, Rasmussen said, “at the very least, innocent, hardworking homeowners should not be forced to pay the replacement costs and loss of property value.” Critics of the drywall also charge it can cause nosebleeds, respiratory problems, depressed immune system, etc. One of the companies named in litigation is Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin, Co., but other manufacturers are expected to be named in additional lawsuits. For more information about Chinese Drywall litigation contact attorneys Kristian Rasmussen, krasmussen@cwcd.com or Alyssa Daniels, adaniels@cwcd.com or phone (800) 852-6299.

Management Titles and Overtime Pay: Employee Lawsuits Increase

Kristian Rasmussen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:05:08 +0000

Retail giant Staples has joined the list of stores being forced to pay millions of dollars as a result of lawsuits challenging the way they classify and compensate employees. On February 20, 2009, a jury in New Jersey ordered Staples to pay $2.5 million to employees whose class action suit claimed their deceiving titles of Manager and Assistant Manager wrongly exempted them from overtime pay. Staples argued the employees’ executive titles exempted the store from paying the workers overtime, but the employees accused the store of using the executive titles as a way of getting around an obligation to pay the overtime wages required under the Fair Labor Standards Act,(“FLSA.”)

The New Jersey award echoed a similar case in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where employees sued Family Dollar claiming they were classified as managers but did not perform any managerial duties. Family Dollar employees routinely worked 60 to 70 hours a week performing duties that included mopping floors, unloading trucks, stocking shelves and running cash registers without receiving overtime pay because they were classified as store managers or assistant managers. The employees were awarded a $35.6 million dollar judgment. A Federal Appeals Court in Atlanta recently upheld the judgment against Family Dollar Stores.

In these suits involving overtime pay and job classification, juries have agreed with employees that the retailers’ efforts to circumvent the FLSA were not one-time violations. More suits are likely to expose the trend of retailers who have sought to cut costs by misclassifying workers, thus violating wage and hour laws.

Employment law experts at Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris are interested in talking with employees of Staples, Family Dollar, Dollar General and other retail stores that may have misclassified employees making them exempt from overtime pay requirements.

For more information please contact attorneys Kristian Rasmussen (Krasmussen@cwcd.com) or Alyssa Daniels (Adaniels@cwcd.com) by e-mail or call toll free 1-800-852-6299.

Chantix Lawsuits- Pfizer drug blamed in suicides

Kristian Rasmussen — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:44:02 +0000

Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris is representing Chantix victims and their families. Chantix victims or their survivors are suing Pfizer, the drug company that makes Chantix® (varenicline) . Chantix , a smoking cessation drug, is blamed for suicide and other serious side effects and the FDA has alerted the public to potential side effects of the drug. On February 1, 2008, under increasing pressure from the FDA, Pfizer amended the information contained in the drug label and package insert for patients to include stronger warnings for these serious adverse events. Contemporaneous with the February 1, 2008 label change, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory alerting health care providers, patients, and caregivers to new safety warnings “related to changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and actual suicidal behavior.” For more information please contact attorney Kristian Rasmussen by email (Krasmussen@cwcd.com) or calling (205) 328-2200; toll free 1-800-852-6299

Smoking Cessation Drug Chantix Target of Lawsuits

Kristian Rasmussen — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:48:36 +0000

Attorneys Kristian Rasmussen and Beth Ellis Chambers of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris have been investigating claims on behalf of Chantix victims for more than a year now. “Pfizer requested and received an ‘expedited’ review from the FDA in an effort to rush the drug onto the open market. Based on our investigation and review of information available to the public, we believe Chantix was rushed to market before it was adequately studied, placing consumers at significant risk of serious injury,” said Rasmussen who continued,. “ Pfizer should feature a guinea pig instead of a tortoise in its advertisements for Chantix.”. The FDA has already required Pfizer to strengthen the information contained in the drug label and the Federal government banned the use of Chantix by pilots and air traffic controllers. The new ISMP report urges the FDA and Pfizer to add a prominent warning about accident risks to the patient medication guide and prescribing information for doctors.

“The public needs to know all of the risks and benefits associated with using a drug like Chantix .We encourage the FDA to take a closer look what’s going on” said Rasmussen who said his firm represents more than 300 Chantix victims after investigating claims from more than 2,300 individuals with inquiries about potential Chantix related injuries.

Pfizer encouraged to strengthen Chantix warnings

Kristian Rasmussen — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:16:09 +0000

Law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris is urging pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. to strengthen its public warnings about potentially serious or fatal injuries that may be caused by its smoking cessation drug Chantix . On October 22, 2008 the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) released the results of an analysis performed by independent experts of adverse event reports. According to the ISMP report, Chantix accounted for more serious injuries being reported to the FDA than any other prescription drug for a second consecutive quarter. Specifically, the report says Chantix accounted for more serious injuries than all of the top ten prescription drugs combined during the first quarter of 2008, including 50 additional deaths reported.

Suicide prompts lawsuit against Pfizer

Kristian Rasmussen — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:30:49 +0000

A lawsuit filed against Pfizer, Inc. charges the drugmaker failed to warn an Indiana man of potentially devastating side effects when he began taking Chantix in October 2007. The man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in January, 2008. Less than a month after the Plaintiff committed suicide, Pfizer modified the package insert on Chantix to recommend that all patients being treated with Chantix “be observed for neuropsychiatric symptoms including …suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.” “Pfizer’s action was too little too late” said attorney Kristian Rasmussen who is representing the man’s family. The lawsuit accuses Pfizer of putting profits before patient safety and claims Pfizer failed to report suspected side effects for fear the warnings would cut into sales and profits . For more information about lawsuits stemming from Chantix side effects, please contact attorney Kristian Rasmussen by email (Krasmussen@cwcd.com) or calltoll free 1-800-852-6299.

Chantix blamed for suicide in lawsuit against Pfizer

Kristian Rasmussen — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:08:31 +0000

(Birmingham, AL) A lawsuit charges pharmaceutical giant Pfizer was motivated by greed when it failed to warn the public of potentially deadly side-effects associated with its popular smoking cessation drug varenicline which is marketed under the trade name Chantix. The suit, brought by the widow of an Indiana man, alleges the decedent committed suicide after using Chantix as prescribed. The victim’s death occurred only a few days before the information contained in the drug label and package insert for patients was amended to include warnings for the increased risk of experiencing suicide and similar tragedies. Further, the widow blames Pfizer in the lawsuit by identifying many specific instances of bad conduct, and suggests that Pfizer pursued profit over patient safety. “This man’s death was a direct result of taking the drug Chantix”, said Kristian Rasmussen, a veteran pharmaceutical litigation attorney . Rasmussen and Elizabeth Ellis Chambers of Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris a are representing the victim’s widow.

Chantix Lawsuits

Kristian Rasmussen — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:26:05 +0000

The magnitude of the health risks associated with Chantix, Pfizer Inc.’s smoking cessation drug is alarming. The evidence is clear and proves:Pfizer rushed the drug Chantix onto the open market without performing adequate studies.
The magnitude of the safety risk is alarming both in terms of the high number and the severe nature of the injuries caused by Chantix. Cory Watson Crowder and DeGaris is representing more than 360 Chantix victims or families of victims who suffered devastating side effects including suicide, suicide ideation, SJS and other serious injuries. For more information please contact attorney Kristian Rasmussen by email (Krasmussen@cwcd.com) or call toll free 1-800-852-6299.

Chantix Legal Expert Comments on Controversy

Kristian Rasmussen — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:42:58 +0000

Kristian Rasmussen, a veteran pharmaceutical litigation attorney with the law firm Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris said, “The magnitude of the health risks associated with Chantix is alarming – we are trying to determine whether the drug maker, Pfizer, failed to disclose information it may have had about adverse side effects.” Rasmussen said his team, that includes pharmaceutical and medical experts along with attorneys, has been investigating reports of devastating side effects for more than a year. “What we are finding is that the magnitude of the safety signal associated with using Chantix is alarming both in terms of severity of injury and the number of different serious reactions,” said Rasmussen. For more information please contact attorney Kristian Rasmussen by email (Krasmussen@cwcd.com) or calltoll free 1-800-852-6299.