There are many stories around about people who claimed compensation as a result of taking Actos. However, there is no guarantee that you can get compensation if you did take it.
Side Effects Link
You will need to have had some side effects from taking the medication. The one that most people seem to be concerned about is the link to bladder cancer. This is something which has been found fairly recently in research and an illness that many people are worried about. However, there are quite a few side effects that all medication can cause.
If you have been told about the side effects of the medication and still agreed to take it, then you may not have a case. However, Actos was found to be a high risk factor in bladder cancer after many people had been taking it a long time. If this was the case with you, then you are more likely to have a case.
Proving it in Court
You will need to provide evidence in court that your illness was caused as a side effect of the medication. This means that you will need to have GP records showing that you had no signs of the illness before the medication was prescribed and that you got it afterwards.
It is worth bearing in mind that there are other risk factors as well and it may be felt that these were the reason for the illness and not the medication so this is worth some thought.
Finding a Good Lawyer
You will need to make sure that you have an experienced lawyer to represent you. It is best to use one that has dealt with cases of this nature before and preferably has a good record for winning the cases. Obviously, this may make them more expensive but it could be better to pay out the money in order to give yourself a better chance of winning that compensation that you deserve.
Timing
The timing of when you were taking the medication could be important. If you were taking it before the results were released of research showing a link to cancer, then you are more likely to get compensation. Once the link between Actos and bladder cancer was made public, then you or your doctor may be seen as accountable for your actions. If they or you knew the risk then you should not have taken it.
You may also need to have been taking the medication for a significant amount of time. Research shows that the increased risk of bladder cancer comes after taking medication for a year or longer, so if you only took it for a short period of time, it may not be enough to provide conclusive evidence.
So even if you have developed bladder cancer after taking Actos, there is no guarantee that you will win compensation. You will need to be able to prove to the court that the cancer was caused by the medication. In order to do this you will need an experienced lawyer and favorable medical records.
About Author
Crystal is a part time blogger who writes on sensitive topics like actos lawsuit and and use of actos and its legal implications.