Zoloft Lawsuits are currently being pursued on behalf of children born with cardiac and other serious congenital heart defect birth defects which have been potentially linked to use of the anti-depressant drug Zoloft (sertraline). A Zoloft lawsuit of this nature would be designed to financially recover from the damages caused by this type of heart defect birth defect from the manufacturer Pfizer Inc. Research suggests serious Zoloft side effects, including increased risk of congenital heart defects and other congenital birth defects. The link between Zoloft (sertraline) and congenital heart defects has many professionals concerned about pregnant women being prescribed the antidepressant medication Zoloft. SSRIs like Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Paxil have also been linked to increased risk of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).
What is Zoloft?
Zoloft (Generic: sertraline) is grouped with other antidepressants as a Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI) which works by raising serotonin levels in the brain, regulating mood, sleep and appetite. Zoloft (sertraline) affects chemical levels in the brain which may become unbalanced and create symptoms. Zoloft (sertraline) is used to treat depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh estimated in May 2005 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that in any given year at over 80,000 pregnant women in the U.S. are prescribed SSRIs.
Zoloft and other SSRIs have been linked to serious side effects, including increased risk of congenital heart defects, Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) and documented serious withdrawal symptoms.
Health Canada advised of potential adverse effects of SSRIs and other anti-depressants on newborns, including sertraline (brand name: Zoloft) in 2004. This report was intended to increase awareness among mothers and physicians of possible symptoms and side effects occurring in newborns, so that symptoms could be recognized and addressed quickly.
When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zoloft (sertraline), it became one of the most widely prescribed drugs for depression on the market. A 1996 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that women taking SSRIs like Zoloft during pregnancy were two times as likely to deliver a baby with three or more abnormalities and poorer than average neonatal adaptation.
Zoloft Heart Defects
SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Paxil have been linked to cases of serious congenital heart defects, which may include atrial septal defects (ASD – Hole in the Heart), ventricular septal defects (VSD – Hole in the Heart), tetrology of fallot (ToF), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), transposition of the great arteries (TGA or TOGA), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), double outlet right ventricle (DORV), and coarctation of the aorta (CoA). In many cases, surgery is required when a child is an infant or toddler and then again, potentially multiple times, as the child grows to maturity. Many congenital heart defects are treatable when they are diagnosed and addressed early. Children may be able to lead mostly normal and productive lives following medical attention. However, in some cases the only viable option to preserve the child’s life and correct these severe heart defects involves a heart transplant.
A Danish study in 2005 indicated that pregnant women prescribed SSRI antidepressant medicines like Zoloft in early pregnancy may have an increased risk of giving birth to infants with congenital heart problems. Based on this study, newborns exposed to SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Paxil during the first 3 months of pregnancy had a 60 percent higher probability of developing congenital heart defects when compared with infants whose pregnant mothers did not take Zoloft or other SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy.
There is also a strong link between SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft and other congenital birth defects and malformations, including lung, cranio-facial, limb (arm, hand, leg, foot) and abdominal wall defects. A study conducted at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, revealed that the risk of pregnant women giving birth to babies with congenital defects, including heart and other defects, was higher among women who had been prescribed and taken SSRIs such as Zoloft in the month prior to conception through the end of their first trimester when compared with those who had no SSRI prescriptions filled during the same period.
Women who are taking SSRI antidepressants, including Zoloft, who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant should speak with their doctor about the risks associated with taking Zoloft or any other SSRI antidepressant while pregnant. There are risks associated with taking Zoloft while pregnant. There may also be concerns about discontinuing this medication. All Birth Defect risks should be discussed with a physician and balanced against any possible benefits of taking this medication.
Zoloft Class Action Lawsuit vs. Individual Zoloft Lawsuit
There are distinct differences between a Zoloft (sertraline) class action lawsuit and a more typical individual Zoloft lawsuit. A Zoloft class action lawsuit would be a Zoloft lawsuit where a large group of people (plaintiffs) together file a Zoloft lawsuit in the form of a “class action” against Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of Zoloft (defendant). For a class action Zoloft lawsuit, Zoloft lawsuit plaintiffs would be grouped together into a single Zoloft class action lawsuit, regardless of the degree or severity of their birth defect heart defect injuries. In this type of Zoloft class action lawsuit, Zoloft plaintiffs with injuries ranging from minor heart murmurs not requiring surgery, all the way to the most severe congenital heart defects, requiring multiple surgeries or even a complete heart transplant, would be grouped into a single Zoloft class action lawsuit. All plaintiffs in the Zoloft class action lawsuit would equally share any award or settlement resulting from that type of Zoloft lawsuit.
In Zoloft lawsuits involving catastrophic injury or death, an individual Zoloft lawsuit is more appropriate in most cases and in the Zoloft plaintiff’s best interest. SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft have been linked to serious congenital heart defects, which include: atrial septal defects (ASD – a hole in the heart), ventricular septal defects (VSD – a hole in the heart), tetrology of fallot (ToF), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), transposition of the great arteries (TGA or TOGA), transposition of the great vessels (TGV), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), double outlet right ventricle (DORV), and coarctation of the aorta (CoA). Individual Zoloft lawsuits like these are better suited in this instance because of the degree of injury and severity of the damages to the plaintiff. In an individual Zoloft Lawsuit, each Zoloft plaintiff’s case is filed, presented to the court and considered by the judge and / or jury on an individual basis, relying on its own strength and the degree of injury tlo the plaintiff.
In cases involving SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft and the serious congenital heart defects related to SSRI antidepressants, surgery is oftentimes required. In the case of heart surgery, it will typically be required when a child is an infant or toddler and again, potentially multiple times, as the infant grows to maturity. With surgery and medical care, in many cases, children may be able to lead a mostly normal and productive life. Typically, an individual Zoloft lawsuit allows each Zoloft victim, their Zoloft side effect injuries and their future needs to be fully considered on an individual basis when determining damages, awards and settlement amounts, and not as part of a class action lawsuit.
SSRI Lawsuits
- Celexa Lawsuit
- Paxil Lawsuit
- Prozac Lawsuit
- Zoloft Lawsuit
Speak to a Zoloft Lawsuit Lawyer about Filing a Zoloft Lawsuit
Call and speak to a Zoloft lawsuit attorney if you took Zoloft or generic sertraline during pregnancy and your child was born with a heart defect or other birth defect. We encourage you to contact a Zoloft lawsuit attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to avoid the serious side effects of Zoloft, but an experienced Zoloft lawsuit products liability attorney at the Willis Law Firm can assist you in filing a Zoloft lawsuit and taking legal action against the manufacturer of Zoloft. You are not alone. Join other Zoloft birth defect victims and their families in speaking up for and fighting for your legal rights with a Zoloft lawsuit.
Please fill out our free online legal evaluation form and we will contact you within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have statutes of limitation that limit the amount of time you have to file a Zoloft lawsuit or seek other legal action. Contact our law firm immediately so that we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family with regard to a Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer, Inc.