Avandia Lawsuit Settlement of $60M Will Resolve 700 Cases: Report

|

GlaxoSmithKline PLC has reportedly agreed to pay $60 million to settle about 700 Avandia lawsuits filed over side effects of their diabetes drug. However, the drug maker still faces thousands of other similar suits filed throughout the United States alleging that they failed to adequately warn about the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and other injuries. 

The Avandia settlements were reached to between Glaxo and two law firms representing hundreds of clients, sources told Bloomberg News. The agreement is believed to be the first settlement of Avandia injury claims brought by users, and Bloomberg reports that the drug maker is continuing negotiations to settle Avandia lawsuits with other lawyers.

Avandia (rosiglitazone) was approved in the United States in 1998 to treat type 2 diabetes by helping control blood sugar levels. The drug has been used by millions of diabetics, but sales have plummeted in recent years as concerns have mounted about the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening heart risks with Avandia. Some experts estimate that Avandia has caused between 60,000 and 200,000 heart attacks and deaths due to cardiovascular problems in the U.S. from 1999 to 2006.

Sports-Betting-Addiction-Lawsuits
Sports-Betting-Addiction-Lawsuits

Concerns about the risk of heart problems with Avandia first gained widespread attention in May 2007, when a meta-analysis of 42 different clinical trials was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggesting that users of Avandia had a 43% increased risk of a heart attack.

In the United States, GlaxoSmithKline PLC currently faces thousands of lawsuits over Avandia filed by former users of the drug who allege that the drug company failed to adequately research their medication or warn users about the serious side effects. Federal Avandia litigation has been consolidated into an MDL, or Multidistrict Litigation, for pretrial litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where the first trial is expected to begin in July.

Details of the agreement are unknown, including the nature of the injuries involved in the cases. However, the Avandia settlement breaks down to an average of about $86,000 per plaintiff.

Pressure to resolve the Avandia cases has increased in recent months with the first trials approaching and a renewed push by critics for a recall of Avandia to be issued.

Earlier this year, a Senate report was released that criticized GlaxoSmithKline for intimidating doctors who spoke out about Avandia side effects and for failing to adequately warn users about the risk of a heart attack from side effects of Avandia.

Last week, at a House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee hearing, several lawmakers entered testimony criticizing the FDA for not issuing an Avandia recall and questioning how the drug was ever approved in the first place.

FDA is currently conducting an Avandia safety review and estimates that it will conclude its investigation some time in July. Some of the FDA’s own drug reviewers said as early as 2007 that Avandia poses too great of a health risk for too few benefits. The FDA is considering pulling the plug on an Avandia study, called TIDE, which is looking at the side effects of Avandia compared to those of Actos, a competing diabetes medication manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The FDA says that given the Avandia heart attack risks, it may be unethical to continue the trials.


600 Comments


Laura
We talked to our lawyer today and he said that he hasn’t heard anymore about other rounds going out. He said for us to call him back next week and he would know more. He said he had a meeting tomarrow with the courts. He said the other round was suppose to be sent out on the 1st of March. It isn’t the lawyers that is holding things up, it is the courts. They want to get this done as much as we do. Has anybody else heard anything else yet? We need to quit blaming the attorney’s for the time this is taking, It isn’t there fault.

R.C.
Screw these attorneys I’m not going to waste gas going to the doctors office to get medical records which is their job to do. If we don’t get no money so what I am tired of being lied to they told me they received my fathers medical records back in July & they told me I would be getting a settlement offer 12/2012. I’m sick of all the lies!.

Johnson
Now I am told that the 3000 cases are the death claims and GSK has to review the estate papers and that is the hold up.

Johnson
‘@No Name, that means some people probably will get pennies especially if their original offer is small, however, I did talk to the steering commiittee and what I shared is what he told me. I will call again and confirm what you said. Thanks

Laura
everyone, We just talked to our attorney and he said that some people have gotten their checks and others were suppose to go out on the 1st of March but they haven as of yet. He said that they have over 3000 cases and that is why they aren’t all getting payed at the same time. With the snow that we have had in the mid-west it has slowed down same of the checks going out. The attorney can’t send check out until they get the approval from the courts. It isn’t the attorney that is holding thing up it is the courts. They can only do what they are told.

no name
Johnson, yes there are suing, however they originally were denied the ability to get any piece of our money and appealed. which they won bu with a Lien Resolution Agreement. They are holding back 20% because that is the max any of the insurance companies, medicare, medicaid, etc can get.. of course that is 20 of your net after the lawyers fees and expenses have been paid. You cant change the rules once they have been established and stop paying. I think you were told inaccurate information.

Johnson
Ok everyone this is what I have found out, I was able to get into Judge Ruffe’s chambers and was given a number to the steering committe for all avandia cases and what I was told is that medicare, medicaid, humana, united health care and all private insurance companies have filed a lawsuit against GSK to get paid out of our settlements. This is the hold up. I was also told that the steering commintte is working to get the liens resolved. So, NO ONE has gotten a check and if they say they did, their are lying. Also, GSK stop making payments because of the liens.

laura
no name, I haven’t recieved anything today. We live in Kansas and the mail hasn’t been runing. I know we got the snow from Denver. I think the weather has sliwed down the process some. Has anyone heard any more yet?

no name
Laura, Have you heard anything from Reilly Ponzer as to whether you will be in the first of March disbursement ? I have heard nothing even though I have sent several emails. Guess they are falling on deaf ears.

Elizabeth
What other site was that.?May I ask..I would love to read what they wrote…..

Johnson
Carolyn: Someone from the other avandia site said she received her check two weeks ago. I don’t know whats going on with our checks. Just is not right. I’m tired of the lies.

CAROLYN
THIS IS CRAZY,WE NEED TO ALL CONTACT OUR LAWMAKERS,ELECTED OFFICIALS, FEDERAL JUDGES,.WE NEED TO STOP ASKING FOR A ANSWER, WE NEED TO DEMAND THE TRUTH IN REGARDS TO MONEY THEY HAVE HAD IN THEIR HANDS.LONG ENOUGH . THIS BELONGS TO ALL OF US, THEY HAVE ALREADY TOOK THEIR PART,AND MAYBE OURS AS WELL. WE NEED A STRAIGHT ANSWER, I AM SICK OF NEXT MONTH, MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH, 6 MONTHS. WE ARE ALL BEING LIED TO. please call your congressman, senaters, They will let us know , they are attorneys, and will want our votes again. THIS BUNCH OF ATTORNEYS ALL WORK FOR US, AND NEED TO BE FIRED, FINED, FOR TAKING UPON THEMSELVES TO LIE, LIE, LIE, . CAN NEVER GET THE SAME ANSWER, LOOK AT THE INTEREST ALONE ,WHO GETS THIS????????..

Laura
no name, I did receive a disbursment letter saying how much I am entitled to. But it didn’t say anything about the 20% they hold back. so I guess that is different. I signed it and turned it back in. This was back in November and then they said it would be another 60-90 days before I got a check. Now they are saying maybe March. Yes ,some people have already got a check, that was the 1st round. We wasn’t in them. Hopefully we well be in the 2nd roud. We were told that goes out on March 1st. They say they send the checks out on the 1st of the month. Why only on the 1st?

Elizabeth
Well I called my attorney and they say May now since December,February and now they say May? I think they have used all the money..Why can”t we get a straight answer from these people?I lost my husband and I also having problems with my heart..I guess the day I die the check will come and what good would it do me….

Cathy
Lawyers have stated that turn around for releasing a check is 90 days after the company makes sure there are no medical bills(Medicaid, Medicare or Tricare) from using this drug. Also, if there was a bankruptcy filed and lists medical bills and other bills resulting in medical claims would be paid from this monies as well.They said they have finally started releasing checks in December 2012.

Tee
My father was apart of the law suit he has what appears to be decent lawyers , he waited on his settlement and now he’s dead as a result of his condition and I’m just tired of the whole thing. All I get or he got was promises well I guess that’s what people are suppose to live by it’s really sad.

joyce
your right,and think of the intrest

Johnson
NO MONEY IS COMING. I’VE WAITING OVER FIVE YEARS AND NOTHING YET. I’VE HEARD A MILLION TIMES EVERYTHING SAID ON THIS FORUM. We are just waiting for nothing. The attorneys are lying to us. No money is coming to us people.

Tina
I have signed what I thought were the final papers four months ago and am still waiting for a check. This whole thing has been going on for 5 years now. Looks like it is going to be another 5 years before it ends.

Elizabeth
Has anyone received a check from anyone yet…..Mine told me they have not released any checks to anyone..they say it will 6 more months…..I bet never??What do you guys think???????????????

R.C.I
If i don’t get a settlement packet like i was promised back in July, i will file a complaint with the bar aasocation of their state and the state attorney general office. Its not fair they are getting all our money and spending it and leaving us out in the cold. I have cooperated with everything they asked me to do. I deserve what they promised me and how this medicine helped killed my father.

R.C.
I don’t think its fair for about 8 months my lawyer office has been lying to me. They told me they had my fathers medical records i received a letter sent 12/14/2012 saying that the company is being slow in reviewing peoples medical records. Why do i have to go to his doctor to get his medical records when it was there job to get them.

no name
has anyone received a check from the Reilly Ponzer group. Laura says that they sent out a group of checks but I have not heard anyone come back and say they got a check. There seems to be no updates in the last few days from anyone.

No name
My husband passed away after taking advandia for a long time I recieved a. Letter saying he was intitled to a settlement but that is all i have heard from them I have not recieved a settlement package or an amount I will recieve does anyone have any good condo for me

carolyn
thank God i am not one of these attorneys client. One of my friends is and has this group from Denver. She lost her mother due to avandia.. I AM SO SHOCKED AT WHAT THESE ATTORNEYS ARE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH.’first of all they work for you,and should be telling you exact date when to expect payment amount. Common sense tells you the money is there, Avandia has settled. these attorneys are being paid.and why are they sent out in batches,makes you wonder has it been invested?But there are things you can do ,go to the bar association,file a complaint, attorney generals office,your local senators, congressman,and you can find out legal info. my heart and prayers are with you’ll.PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS, TRUST ME YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN,WILL NOT HAVE ONE BEARING ON THE AMOUNT YOU WILL RECEIVE, EVERONE NEEDS TO TAKE A STAND. ITS TIME THIS NIGHTMARE IS OVER.

R.C.
My attorney has lied to me back in 07/2012 i received several letters stating my father was approved for a settlement i gave them permission because he gave me power of attorney and so did my mom To help to settle, they told me they received his medical records and they are finalinizing the settlement. Now 7 months later they tell me they dont have no medical records and that i have to go to his doctor to get his medical records but they would be gladly to py for them if their was going to be a charge. Then they told me the advania makers would contact me after they reviewed my fathers medical records to see how the drug has harmed him. His medical records are well documented but i am very ticked off with my current lawyer. It it to late to find a new lawyer or which lawyers do the people on here recommend. I am fixing to give these lawyers the boot for lying to me.

Elizabeth
What can”t they give us all a strait answer…IT has become a run around….One says one thing and another says something else….One lawyer told me know one has gotten any money yet….But by reading this some have gotten something?

Lynn
I am now 54 yrs old and two years ago this Oct I had to get a pacemaker stat! No history of heart problems. I was on Avaida for 27 months for my diabetes my dr would not take me off dispite side effects!! now 2 years later a pace maker I am in a class action suit and they a not going to to pay out my case is MY INJURY IS DEFICENT!!! NOW WHAT ANY IDEAS MY DR CLAIMED I HAD TWO CHOICES PACEMAKER OR DIE!!! ANYONE CAN HELP PLEASE EMAIL ME! thankyou!

laura
No name, you have the same attourney’s we do, I don’t know why you are having such a hard time talking to some one. They are getting plenty of money so they need to answer any queastions you have. We talked to him yesterday and asked him if he charges everytime we talk to him and he said no. So they don’t charge any more for talking to hime that is in his fee. The first round went out today, you might be in them we wasn’t. So we might not get our round until March or so they send them out around the first if the month. He once said by the mid of Feb. but I guess they have several rounds and now they are saying March or April. It depends on what round you are in. I thought it was a check, but after listening to all the people here, it might be something else to sign. I asked him how many rounds they have and he said he didn’t know.

no name
i thought there was one more document to sign, the dismemberment, showing how the money was being paid out and after you sign that you can get a check. But maybe I have wrong info, seeing that I dont have alot of info. Why does it take another 30 days to send out another batch of checks? Is there a way to fins out which batch you are in or even how many batches there will be? I saw on another forum that a firm said they got the list of the first people to get checks, said that they were clear of all liens. Why does that matter, we all had to participate in the Lien resolution Program, or GSK was still holding back 20% But why would it matter if you have outstanding liens or not? Wish I had more info or there was a way to get more… I call my lawyers and leave messages but get no response.

R.C.
We haven’t received anything from our attorney since they sent us a letter saying we will not be getting a settlement packet on 12/19/2012. The letter was written on 12/14/2012. We have Mulligan & Mulligan working Patrick Mulligan working on ours. Its been over 30 days & we haven’t received another letter. I’m getting ticked off & seriously thinking about reporting them to the Texas if i don’t get a settlement packet like everyone else has gotten. I’m seriously thinking that this whole thing is a scam or they have our money & spending it for themselves. If I don’t get anything shortly I will sue Patrick Mulligan & his law firm & other law firms that are working with him!. I think we are all getting screwed here & we need the money because that medicine helped killed my father & they don’t even care how we are suffering!. I don’t like this one bit!.

Freddie
According to a post by Bloomberg dated Jan 18th lawyers were fighting over spit of 143 Million in fees for GSK, and a post that’s dated Jan 23rd all lawyers have resolved their difference on how the split would be. I contacted My Attorney and they stated that they or waiting on opposing attorney to resovle this issue, that tells me someone has lie. And just who that might be???

laura
all we got was the settlement offer. Talked to our attourney today and he said that the first round of checks went out and we wasn’t in them. He said that the next round would be the first of March. How do they decide wat round someone is in. Do we get something else to sign? I thought the next step was a check! It seems to me they are lying. We were suppose to be all done by the end of the year. Then the middle of Feb. Now they are saying March.

no name
the MDL from what i understand is a group of appointed lawyer that were leading in gathering information for the whole group of people that might have gone to trial. There is a 7% fee from each case that is paid into a fund that pays these lawyers. 3% from us and 4% from the law firms. The lawyers then get to split the money from the MDL fund.. There was a big new article about the fighting to get the money from the firms, Reilly Ponzer (Zonies) being one the firms. Seems to be double dipping. They get paid by us for doing work and then get paid by the MDL for doing work, or perhaps it was different work and different info they were providing to the MDL. Laura, Have you gotten your disbursement letter yet that shows how your money will be paid. I heard you will get that and have to sign it and return and then a check sometime after that….

laura
no name, Talked to the attourney yesterday and he did say that his expenses are in the 40%. He said we are in for February stilll. Do you know what MDL is? My attourney didn’t know. He did say that there is % being held out for the courts but that had nothing to do with him . It is suppose to be about 3%. No we don’t have no liens. I don’t know if the private insurance has there hands out for money. As of yet my attourney said they were still trying to get them on board so they cant sue later.

joe
R C, It depends on what is the 1st medical incident took place. What level of the incident also. Another words, from a Doctor point of a heart attack, you have many levels. Heart attack nothing was done, heart attack with big time bypass. Heart attack with a stent put in place. All these item from a medical incident has difference value in a lawsuit. Same with CHF. Values are all over the place. Some folks say after lawyers got there cut, 5,000.00 to some folks say 125,000.00. It depends on what is on the medical records.

no name
got the settlement package a few months ago, and then the lien resolution papers about a week ago, but my lawyer is not telling me anything for a check date. “they are working through everything” so hoping Feb is accurate for everyone at Reilly Ponzer.

Mike
What is the average settlement offer for a defective hernia mesh lawsuit? I am trying to get an idea of what to expect to be offered.

RC
Just how much money does a victim of avandia get. My father had congestive heart failure kidney disease he had 4 heart attacks after taking avandia. All this happen after he took advania just how much are people awarded.

laura
no name, we got our settlement package around October , then they told us the middle of Feb. and that is what they are still saying. Have you received your settlement package? If you haven’t get on the phone to your attourney case they say that they have all been sent out.

no name
when did you get the packet for the 20% holdback? Do you know if you have any liens? I am hoping for mid- Feb.. sure could use the money and then the 2nd check 6 months from the first one? so like Aug?

laura
Talked to the attourney today and he is still saying the middle of Feb.

no name
Laura, When did you get your lien resolution packet? And they are still saying by mid feb check will go out? I am not getting any solid info from my attorney (who rolled his into the reilly ponzer inventory) I want to know if my check is coming in Feb too? and then how long to get the 2nd check?

joe
Laura, you cannot deduct the 1/3 of what your lawyer took. All settlement payments are tax free to you. But if the lawyer hit you with expences that are outside the 1/3, he must give you a breakdown of it. This you can deduct. I hope what you said is true about re’cd a check in Feb. Many folks heard that before.

Laura
Does anyone know what MDL is?

Rachel
We were told the same thing last year around September. Then we received a letter stating that by now we should have received the 1st check or it is in the mail. The lawyers could not tell us how much the settlement was but they were able to get some money. For the 1st initial check, we all received $2,000 and was told that we would get the rest when medicare, medicaid, and or insurance companies settled. My case is a wrongful death case and was upset with receiving that small amount as an initial check. The lawyers, the government, and insurance companies are winning. HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER SEE MY MOM AGAIN. DAMNED YOU MAKERS OF AVANDIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elizabeth
I have Clark Burnett and Love…..Has anyone got any settlement from them yet…Just wondering

Laura
We got something in the mail about us signing something giving them permission to withhold that 20$. Talked to our attourney and he said that he doesn’t get anyymore than the percent we agreed on and the attourney fees are included in the percent we are getting and I think it is 40%.Nothing was said about another 10% And we didnt have medicare and medicare. We hadrivate insurance and was told they haven’t been to excited about getting any money. So we should get that money back in about 6 months. The firsteck should be here no later thathe middle of February.

joe
laura, It is what you get after everything is said and done then 20% is taken and held.

no name
Laura, there is a contingency fee of 33-40% for the lawyers and then expenses, plus the MDL fee that I think is 3%. Then there is a 20% hold back that I think is after all that is withdrawn for lien resolution. Not sure how long they hold the 20%, but theoretically if there are no lien after x number of days/months, they are supposed to send a second check for the 20%. Not sure how lien resolution works or how long it takes. I have not heard any dates for checks from Reilly Ponzer, hope you are correct in saying that we should get checks in Feb…. fingers crossed

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

MORE TOP STORIES

Plaintiffs have asked the judge presiding over all AFFF lawsuits to consolidate five claims involving kidney cancer and testicular cancer injuries for the first bellwether trial in the federal MDL.