Belviq Lawsuit

Harmed by Belviq? Our Lawyers Can Help.

Our Belviq Lawyers Fight for Compensation for Belviq-related Cancer

Belviq® is a drug that was commonly prescribed for weight-control for years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the medication’s use for weight management in 2012, but a follow-on study showed that Belviq increases the risk of pancreatic, colorectal, lung, and other cancers. The drug has since been taken off the market, but many people have been harmed by its cancer-causing effects in the interim.

A diagnosis of cancer is devastating. When it was potentially caused by a drug prescribed by a doctor, people diagnosed with the disease should have recourse.

If you or a loved one took Belviq and was diagnosed with cancer, you may be eligible to receive compensation through a Belviq lawsuit. Depending on the circumstances, this may be a class-action lawsuit, an individual lawsuit, or a wrongful death lawsuit if someone has died. While a lawsuit won’t cure the illness, and nothing can make up for the loss of your health, financial compensation can reduce the stress of worrying about paying medical costs and bills while battling the disease at a time when you may be unable to work.

Texas personal injury and product liability laws are complicated, large drug companies have high-powered lawyers on their payroll to fight against lawsuits, and making mistakes can be costly. Fortunately, there is legal help available to go up against them from the experienced drug injury lawyers at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law.

Our compassionate Belviq lawsuit attorneys understand what you are going through. We know the laws and the system and are skilled in bringing successful drug-related lawsuits. When you contact us, our Belviq legal team will examine your individual situation and advise you about your options and the possibility of filing a legal claim. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation, and there are no fees to you unless and until we win your case.

Call us today – (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000

Belviq Recall and Cancer

Belviq and Belviq XR, which is the extended-release form of the medication, are brand names for the generic drug lorcaserin. The drug was developed for patients who had trouble losing weight through diet and exercise alone. Lorcaserin increases feelings of fullness to decrease appetite. An early study of lorcaserin, under a different brand name, caused the FDA to reject it because rats and mice that were given the drug developed breast and brain tumors.

In addition to the cancer risk, a review of Belviq in Consumer Reports shortly after its release advised people to “skip it.” The article pointed to bad side effects, including headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and others.

Studies of Belviq Showed a Cancer Link

In January 2014, at the FDA’s request, the manufacturer began a five-year study of Belviq. The study involved 12,000 people who were given either Belviq or a placebo drug. Placebos are “fake” drugs that are often used in research studies. Patients in the study did not know which drug they received. After the study ended, the results showed that there were more cases of cancer in people who had received Belviq compared to the placebo. The main types of cancer detected were pancreatic, lung, and colorectal.

Belviq Recalled by Food and Drug Administration in 2020

After looking at this study data, the FDA announced in January 2020 that Belviq seemed to be linked to an increased risk of cancer, but it didn’t issue a Belviq recall. Instead, the FDA asked doctors to consider whether the benefits of the drug outweighed the possible risks before prescribing it.

However, only a month later, on February 13, the FDA recalled Belviq after determining that its risks outweighed its benefits. The agency told people to immediately stop taking the drug. It advised patients to talk to their doctors about an alternative weight-loss medication.

How Our Belviq Lawyer in Houston Can Help

Unfortunately, this harmful drug was on the market for eight long years before a Belviq recall finally happened. Its long-term cancer effect isn’t yet known. People who were on it for even a few months and who have since been diagnosed with cancer, shouldn’t hesitate to consult with a Belviq lawyer. While an attorney can’t cure your illness, an experienced drug injury lawyer can help you determine whether to pursue a Belviq lawsuit against the manufacturer.

If you were harmed by Belviq or Belviq XR, we can help. Your Belviq legal team will:

• Meet with you and examine your case and advise you about the possibility of filing a legal claim, and what your case might be worth.
• Determine if you should bring a Belviq recall and cancer claim on your own or be part of a Belviq class action lawsuit.
• Gather evidence, such as from medical records and lab tests and reports that show the course of the cancer.
• Get expert testimony as to the connection of your cancer with Belviq, the costs and treatments that are required, and the negative effects on your life and family.
• Handle all legal requirements related to filing your case and making court appearances in a timely manner and according to the laws.
• Negotiate for a settlement with insurer and company lawyers.
• Build your case and take it to court and argue on your behalf in front of a judge and jury if necessary.
• File any appeals if needed.

Your health is paramount. When your health has been compromised because of a prescription drug, you are well within your rights to file a legal claim. If you were harmed by the weight-loss drug Belviq, our compassionate attorneys will explain your legal options and get to work immediately to help you.

Free consult – Call now (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000

What Compensation Can I Get in a Belviq Lawsuit?

Our Belviq Lawyer Will Fight for Economic and Non-economic Damages

In a successful drug injury lawsuit, you may receive compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. In some cases, punitive damages, meant to punish and make an example of a defendant, may be awarded as well.

Economic damages are meant to reimburse you for monetary expenses, such as:

• Your doctor bills, hospital costs, prescription drug costs, nursing care, and other cancer-related medical treatments
• Time that you missed at work while you were undergoing cancer treatments
• Loss of wages and earning capacity into the future.

Non-economic damages are to compensate you for damages that do not have a specific dollar value, but have negative effects on your life, such as:

• Pain and suffering damages for your long-term physical pain and your mental and emotional trauma from being diagnosed with a devastating disease
• Loss of enjoyment of life when you can’t take part in hobbies and activities you enjoy because you are too sick
• Loss of consortium and effects on your marital relationship.

Exemplary, or punitive, damages may be awarded in cases where it is found that the drug manufacturer was particularly negligent.

Additionally, if your family member who took Belviq for weight loss sadly lost their life from cancer, you may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. This is a type of personal injury suit where damages are paid to the family or estate of the person who has died. While what you might get in a lawsuit can never replace your loved one, it can get you financial compensation for what you have lost. And it will also serve to hold the drug manufacturer accountable for their wrongdoing.

Damages Awards You May Receive in a Belviq Lawsuit

There is a wide range of settlement amounts that may be awarded in a drug injury case, from the thousands to millions of dollars. Every situation is unique, and the amount of damages you may win in a successful lawsuit would depend on a number of factors. These include:

• The type and severity of cancer and how it affects your life
• Whether you will need long-term care and treatment
• Your age and earning capacity
• Whether a death was involved
• The availability of insurance and assets of the defendants that can go toward a settlement
• The skill and experience of your personal injury attorney
• The inclination of the individual judge and jury.

Who Is Responsible for the Harmful Drug Belviq?

Belviq is the product of two multibillion-dollar drug companies. Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, California, originally developed the drug. It sold the rights to develop and market Belviq to Japanese pharmaceutical maker Eisai Co., Ltd., in 2017. Eisai has since made millions of dollars from the drug, which it continued to market in spite of concerns about its cancer risk.

Some allegations that have been made in Belviq recall lawsuits say that the manufacturer …

• Didn’t properly research the side effects of the drug
• Ignored the cancer link because of its desire for profits
• Provided misleading information about the drug’s safety.

Big drug companies prove time and time again that they focus on maximizing profit over competing priorities. Unfortunately, this appears to be the case again. Cancer is often a life-threatening diagnosis. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer after taking Belviq, we will examine your situation and assess your potential legal claim. We will fight hard to hold the manufacturer of this drug accountable for its negligence.

Because drugs always have the potential for side effects, drug manufacturers are not strictly liable for harm caused by taking them. However, it is different when manufacturers knew of and concealed dangers to the public. If the drug manufacturer failed to warn about risks, failed to provide information to the FDA about risks, or a safer alternative could be used, the manufacturer could be held liable in a lawsuit.

To win your lawsuit, our Belviq attorneys would have to prove that the parties you are suing, the defendants in the case:

• Owed you a reasonable duty of care (such as to manufacture and sell a safe product)
• Breached that duty of care
• Caused you to receive injuries or damages as a result.

Our Terry Bryant lawyers have a track record of success in standing up to big drug companies. Speak with a Belviq lawyer today at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.

How Do I Know if I Have a Belviq Lawsuit Case?

If you have been taking the drug and a doctor has diagnosed you with cancer, you may have grounds for bringing a Belviq lawsuit against the manufacturer. Our attorneys can help you discover whether you have the evidence to bring a Belviq lawsuit. We provide free consultations and won’t pressure you, so you have nothing to lose in speaking with us.

At this time, the FDA is not recommending cancer screenings for people who took the drug. But if you have any unusual symptoms, it’s necessary for your health and well-being that you see a doctor right away. Some general symptoms of cancer can include the following:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Persistent cough
• Changes in bowel or bladder habits
• Regular and unexplained indigestion after eating
• Hoarse voice
• Trouble swallowing
• Unexplained pain that doesn’t go away.

These are general symptoms of cancer, but they don’t necessarily mean that a person has cancer. Other conditions can also cause these symptoms. But if you have been on the drug Belviq and experience any of these, especially in combination, it is important that you see your doctor.

Getting Help from Our Experienced Belviq Lawyer

Don’t delay in getting legal help if you believe your illness was caused by Belviq or if you believe your family member who used Belviq developed cancer because of the drug. You could be entitled to substantial compensation. This money can pay for the overwhelming expenses that you may now be faced with because of your losses.

Typically, there is a two-year statute of limitations (CPR §16.003) for filing drug injury lawsuits in Texas. You generally have two years from the date your illness was diagnosed or the date your loved one died to file a legal claim. Every case is unique, however, so always speak directly with an attorney to learn the exact statute of limitations and any other deadlines that apply to your potential claim(s).

A Belviq lawyer from Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law in Houston will stand up for you. In addition to a complimentary consultation, we offer a no-fee guarantee. You won’t pay anything until we win your case.

Contact our Belviq lawyer today – call 713-973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.