Paragard IUD Lawsuit Lawyer

paragard

If You Have Been Injured by a Paragard IUD Removal, Our Attorneys May Be Able to Help You

Paragard is a popular intrauterine birth control device, or “IUD.” While the Paragard device has been successful for many women over time, several women in recent years have experienced significant complications.

Recent reports indicate that the copper IUD may move or break after being implanted, potentially resulting in organ perforation that requires additional surgery.

Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs are currently investigating wrongdoing on the part of Teva Pharmaceuticals, the creators of Paragard. If you or someone you know has been injured while using the Paragard IUD, please call an experienced attorney from our firm who can help advocate for you.

Contact a Trusted Paragard IUD Lawyer From Our Firm

At Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs, our skilled Houston Paragard lawsuit lawyer has been representing clients in product liability and dangerous drug cases for years. Our skilled Houston dangerous drug lawyers are committed to providing fierce advocacy for those who have been harmed by defective pharmaceutical products. We work hard to achieve the ideal results in and out of the courtroom so that our clients can move forward with their lives.

How Does the Paragard IUD Work?

Paragard is manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals and was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1984. Like most IUDs, Paragard is designed to provide long-term contraception without the use of hormones.

The Paragard device is shaped like a “T,” made of plastic, and wrapped with a thin, copper wire. After a medical professional places the device in the uterus, Paragard works by blocking sperm from reaching the egg or by preventing implantation of an egg. The copper wire creates inflammation in the uterus, which is toxic to both sperm and eggs, thus preventing pregnancy.

According to Paragard’s claims, the product works for up to 10 years, is 99% effective, and is the only IUD that is entirely hormone-free. The most common side effects of using Paragard are longer and heavier periods with spotting in between periods for the first 2-3 months.

Contact us today to schedule a FREE consultation to discuss your legal options. If you’ve been harmed by Paragard, you deserve to let our Houston product liability lawyers start fighting for you.

Paragard Removal Injuries

Several women have experienced severe complications and injuries during the Paragard removal process. Paragard’s website states that the removal process is usually quick and easy, but that: “In rare cases, Paragard may be hard to remove because it is stuck in the uterus. Surgery may sometimes be needed to remove Paragard.”

Removing the Paragard device is normally a simple procedure that requires no anesthesia. However, if this procedure is performed incorrectly, the patient’s uterus may become damaged This results in surgery and sometimes, under extreme circumstances, a total hysterectomy.

Reports have also indicated that if the device perforates the wall of the uterus, complications such as infection, scarring, or damage to other organs may occur.

According to Paragard’s “Safety Information” page, the following serious side effects may occur as a result of using Paragard:

  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  • Difficult removals requiring surgery
  • Perforation or puncturing of the uterus that may cause damage to other organs

The following injuries have also been confirmed to be potential complications and dangers of the Pargard device:

  • Infections
  • Scarring
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Device breaking, leading to surgery
  • Copper wire getting left in the body, leading to inflammation and injury
  • Hysterectomy or uterus removal

Other Paragard-Related Injuries

In the rare case that a pregnancy does occur while the Paragard IUD is in place, there is an increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy, the egg attaches outside the uterus, causing a medical emergency for the woman. Ectopic pregnancies often require surgery, and in the worst instances, may cause internal bleeding, infertility, or even death.

Paragard Lawsuits and Complaints

Since 2010, the FDA has received over 2,800 reports of the Paragard device unexpectedly breaking inside the uterus, migrating out of position, or causing perforation of the uterus. In many of these cases, women were severely injured or required surgery as a result.

Teva Pharmaceuticals is facing lawsuits claiming that the company failed to properly warn the public about the likelihood of the device breaking. Paragard’s current prescribing information does mention breakage as a possibility, but there is no indication of how likely or common it is to occur.

Paragard warns that the removal process might be “difficult” and that surgery might be required, but women have not been properly warned of the potential for the device breaking and causing completely unpredictable damage.

Medical Evidence Suggests Paragard Can Be Dangerous

In a medical study published in 2015, Dr. Carlos M. Fernandez and colleagues concluded that “Though the safe and effective use of IUD contraception has been demonstrated in the United States, the possibility of its breakage should be recognized by clinicians.”

Their medical study also concluded the following:

  • Although breakage is rare, it is likely under-reported.
  • Device fracture is more likely to occur for patients who used the same Paragard implant for 6-10 years.
  • Fractures might be completely unavoidable in some cases.
  • If a doctor needs to use excessive force to remove the IUD, he or she should seriously consider that the device may be improperly positioned or embedded in the uterus.
  • Using a high-resolution 2-D and 3-D transvaginal ultrasound can greatly assist in more precise removal.

Numerous women have been harmed by Paragard and were never properly warned of the risks beforehand. Both the device’s manufacturer and negligent doctors should be held accountable for the damage this IUD has caused to unsuspecting patients.

Our Houston Paragard IUD Lawsuit Lawyers Fight for You

If you or someone you love has suffered injury or unexpected surgery due to a complication with Paragard birth control, please contact the Houston personal injury lawyers at Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs as soon as possible. Our experienced legal team is passionate about helping wrongfully injured women by fighting for justice on their behalf.

If you have been harmed by Paragard, we may be able to file a lawsuit against Teva for any of the following:

  • Failing to warn consumers and doctors about the dangers of Paragard
  • Misrepresenting Paragard as being a safer option than it is
  • Designing a defective and dangerous medical device

Tough Legal Advocates Standing Against Teva Pharmaceuticals in Paragard Lawsuits

We may be able to bring a lawsuit against Teva Pharmaceuticals and fight for compensation on your behalf. Compensation in a dangerous medical device lawsuit can cover your medical expenses and lost wages for missing work. We can even sue for your pain and suffering.

At Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs we have won over $100 million for the wrongfully injured. We are not afraid to go head-to-head with large pharmaceutical and medical companies; we have already done it and won. If you were injured by the Paragard device or during its removal process, do not hesitate to seek legal counsel and representation from our firm.

Let us hold responsible the groups and individuals who failed to promote your well-being and safety. Call today at (713) 751-0025 for a free consultation.