Important factors to consider

There are several important factors to consider when deciding whether to bring a lawsuit. In a recent interview, Bryan Aylstock, a Florida attorney whose firm protects the rights of consumers who are seriously injured due to defective drugs such as Prempro, explained what a potential plaintiff should consider.

• Statute of limitations. There are statute of limitations issues and every day that someone waits to contact an attorney may be the last day that they had to bring their lawsuit. So, there's a very good reason for them to do it quickly. If someone has taken these combination hormone replacement drugs and developed breast cancer, it's imperative that they call an attorney immediately.
• Discovery rule. Most states have what's called the Discovery Rule with regard to their statute of limitations. That provides a period of time for an individual to discover the causal connection between their disease and what caused it. For example, if it took a reasonable person three or four years to be diagnosed and make the connection between their diagnosis of breast cancer and their use of hormone replacement drugs, that period of time would be added to the statute of limitations. So, generally speaking, the statute of limitations is certainly a defense that Wyeth raises, but it's one that we think we can overcome given their continued denials of the causal connection.
• Public policy. Public policy dictates that drug companies who hurt people, and are at fault for it, should be held accountable. Our FDA [Food and Drug Administration] is not equipped to hold drug companies accountable for their wrongful actions. If folks don't stand up for themselves, and the lawyers representing those folks don't stand up for them, nobody's going to be watching these drug companies to make sure they are held accountable.

Contacting an attorney

Consulting with an attorney doesn't necessarily mean filing a lawsuit, according to Aylstock, who told us, "Anyone can absolutely contact me and there's no cost or fee to do so. We would certainly do what we could to assist anybody who called and help them through the process. With most attorneys in this arena, it's understood that people don't have money to pay us by the hour, so we engage in contingency-fee contracts which provide that only if we are able to make a recovery do the people that we represent have to pay us."

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the use of Prempro, contact an attorney to discuss your situation. The consultation is free, without obligation and strictly confidential. To contact a qualified attorney whose practice focuses in this area of the law, please click here.

Suffered harm from Prempro? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.