Rottenstein Law Group Is Encouraged by GlaxoSmithKline’s Settlement of 20,000 Lawsuits Over Its Diabetes Drug Avandia

The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from the severe side effects of several drugs manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is encouraged by recent reports stating that GlaxoSmithKline settled more than 20,000 lawsuits alleging that the type-2 diabetes drug Avandia causes heart attacks.

The former Avandia users who filed the lawsuits reached an accord with GlaxoSmithKline in a mediation ordered by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe in Philadelphia, according to an article that recently ran on Bloomberg.com. “Rufe had set a 75-day deadline to resolve 85 percent of the remaining cases through the mediation program, according to court filings,” the article states. “[I]t’s unclear whether enough cases have been settled to meet the deadline. If there aren’t enough settlements to meet the judge’s requirements, Rufe has said she will begin scheduling cases for trial. So far, no Avandia cases have been considered by a jury.”

GlaxoSmithKline settlements in patient lawsuits alleging Avandia caused heart attacks and strokes have averaged around $50,000 per claimant, according to a 2011 article on Businessweek.com.

The Rottenstein Law Group urges anyone who has suffered adverse side effects as a result of having taken Avandia to speak to a qualified personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.