Several lawsuits have already been filed by people who were diagnosed with ketoacidosis after taking diabetes medications like Invokana. However, these lawsuits are not part of a class action — they are individual lawsuits.
Need a Texas Ketoacidosis Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with ketoacidosis after taking a diabetes medication, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas.
What Causes Ketoacidosis?
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), also known as acidosis, occurs when the blood becomes too acidic. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin and the body is unable to use glucose (sugar) from food as a source of energy. Instead, the body breaks down fat. This releases fatty-acids, which are converted into toxins called ketones by the liver.
Complications of Ketoacidosis
As ketones build up in the bloodstream, they poison the body. This causes increased urination, which can lead to dehydration and worsen the ketoacidosis and other health issues. Without treatment, ketoacidosis can cause low blood pressure, shock, heart rhythm abnormalities, diabetic coma (unconsciousness), and death.
Diabetes Medications and Ketoacidosis
December 4, 2015 — After receiving 73 reports of patients who developed ketoacidosis, the FDA is requiring stronger warning labels on all diabetes medications in the SLGT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2) inhibitor class. These drugs include:
- Invokana (canagliflozin)
- Invokamet (canagliflozin and metformin)
- Farxiga (dapagliflozin)
- Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin and metformin extended-release)
- Jardiance (empagliflozin)
- Glyxambi (empagliflozin and linagliptin)
- Synjardy (empagliflozin and metformin)
FDA Recommendation for Patients
The FDA recommends seeking emergency medical attention if you develop symptoms of ketoacidosis, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach-ache (abdominal) pain, unusual tiredness, or trouble breathing. Ketoacidosis can occur when blood-sugar levels are only mildly elevated, less than 250 mg/dL, according to the FDA.
Risk-Factors for Ketoacidosis
Before taking an SGLT2 inhibitor, tell your doctor if you are:
- Having surgery
- Eating less due to illness, surgery, dieting, or any other reason
- Having or have had problems with your pancreas, including
pancreatitis or surgery on your pancreas - Drinking alcohol very often or drink a lot of alcohol in a short time period (“binge” drinking)
What is the problem?
The Clark Firm, LLP is nationally recognized as a class action law firm in Texas. However, at this time our litigation team is not filing a ketoacidosis class action. Instead, we are filing individual lawsuits for people who were diagnosed with this disease after taking diabetes drugs in the SGLT2 inhibitor class.
About Class Actions
Class action lawsuits have advantages when a lot of people have the same legal claim. They are an efficient way to resolve a large number of cases at the same time. Everyone collectively seeks compensation and shares any payout.
Why Our Law Firm is Filing Individual Lawsuits as Opposed to a Class Action
Class actions are not designed to maximize compensation for people with severe injuries. Another problem is that members may have to accept a “low-ball” settlement or attorneys’ fees that take a huge cut of the payout.
Instead of a class action, our attorneys are filing individual lawsuits. We specialize in helping victims of defective drugs seek compensation for their injury, medical expenses, lost income, disability, and more.
Individual Lawsuits May Be Consolidated
In the future, it is possible that judges will decide to centralize lawsuits involving ketoacidosis in state and/or federal court. This is called a “mass-tort” or a Multi-District Litigation (MDL). It has many of the advantages of a class action, but each plaintiff has their own attorney and each case can have its own outcome.
Need a Ketoacidosis Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas ketoacidosis lawyers for a free lawsuit review.