What You Should Know About the Zantac Recall (Ranitidine)

IMPORTANT RANITIDINE UPDATE: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release on April 1, 2020 requesting manufacturers to immediately withdraw all Zantac and generic Zantac OTC drugs from the market. The FDA has found that N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in some ranitidine drugs “increases over time and when stored at higher than room temperatures and may result in consumer exposure to unacceptable levels…” The FDA, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classify NDMA as a cancer-causing substance, and has issued a Zantac recall, effective immediately.

Zantac has been on the market for over thirty years and millions of people have taken brand name product and its generic, ranitidine. For anyone currently taking these drugs, you should immediately contact your doctor to discuss your options.

What Is Zantac?

Zantac is a medication that limits the production of stomach acid and belongs to a class of medications known as H2 blockers. It is sold as a generic under the name of its active ingredient, ranitidine. Zantac is sold over-the-counter to treat heartburn and acid indigestion, and prescribed for the treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and certain stomach and esophagus conditions.

What Is NDMA?

NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen that can form as a byproduct of industrial processes or, as in Zantac, from exposure to high temperatures or storage over time. The chemical can be found in small quantities in drinking water but in levels that are considered generally harmless. The NDMA found in the recalled Zantac and ranitidine products is above levels considered safe by the FDA. NDMA had previously been found in the blood pressure medication Valsartan, which prompted a string of product recalls starting in July 2018.

NDMA exposure in Zantac and ranitidine has been linked to digestive system cancers such as:

  • Stomach cancer
  • Intestinal cancer (both of the small and large intestines)
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Leukemia
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Multiple Myeloma
  • Bladder cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Kidney Cancer

Additionally, in babies born to mothers who took Zantac consistently throughout their pregnancies, NDMA has been linked to cancers, including brain cancers, in young children.

The FDA has issued an order to cease all distribution of Zantac because it cannot guarantee the safety of it. While the drug itself does not contain harmful levels of NDMA, the cancer-causing chemical can form over time during shipping, handling and storage – especially if it is stored at high temperatures such as in your car. The Zantac recall applies to all manufacturers and brands.

Call us at (937) 222-2030 for more information about the Zantac recall

For more information on the Zantac recall, head over to our dedicated Zantac recall page

Chicken processing company recalls its meat from stores over Listeria fears

Chicken Recall

In late September, Tip Top Poultry, Inc. issued a voluntary recall of all “cooked, hot deboned fowl meat” due to possible Listeria contamination.

On Tuesday, Tip Top expanded it to include additional products and retailers. Stores affected include Kroger, ALDI, Food Lion, and Piggly Wiggly, among others.

The original recall included an undetermined amount of ready-to-eat poultry products including frozen cooked, diced, or shredded chicken distributed by brands including Butterball, Perdue, and Sysco. The recall includes any products produced at their Rockmart, Georgia, facility between January 22, 2019 and September 24, 2019. Tip Top Poultry announced  in a statement that it would be shutting down its poultry cooking line until the source of contamination has been identified and eliminated.

Symptoms to watch for

Consuming food contaminated with Listeria can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, newborns, and older adults.

A listeria infection may result in brain or bloodstream infection and can be treated with antibiotics. Symptoms of the infection include fever and diarrhea, muscle aches, and headache. If you think you may have consumed contaminated chicken, the Centers for Disease Control advises that you see a doctor and alert them of any symptoms you may be experiencing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has released a full list of possibly affected retailers in their updated recall alert. Their news release urges any consumer or institutions in possession of these products not to consume or serve them. Any chicken product that falls under the recall should be thrown away or returned to the place where it was purchased.

If you or a loved one has been sickened, you can contact our Listeria lawyers for a free consultation about a Listeria lawsuit for compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Defective 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Lawsuit

Minnesota-based manufacturer 3M Company recently agreed to pay the U.S. Government $9.1 million to settle allegations that it knowingly sold defective combat ear plugs to the U.S. military without disclosing defects that limited the effectiveness of the hearing protection products.

The defective earplugs were issued to thousands of service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2003 to 2015.

Who was affected?

Military personnel across several branches who served tours in the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom between the years of 2003 and 2015 may have been part of the affected population. It is estimated that one pair of 3M earplugs was given for each deployed soldier during this time, up to 2.2 million. An estimated 1.5 million U.S. military service members used the earplugs.

If you or a loved one suffered hearing loss and/or tinnitus as current and former Army, Navy, Air Force, and Reserves personnel, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Cowan & Hilgeman Law today at (937) 222-2030 to speak with an attorney now. 

 

The personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman have recovered millions in compensation for our clients. Our lawyers create plans of attack for each case specific to the client’s needs and expectations. The lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman handle claims involving personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, product liability and wrongful death. We routinely recover compensation on cases that other law firms reject.

Cowan & Hilgeman offers free personal injury case evaluations and only get paid an attorney fee if we win your personal injury case.

Call 937-222-2030 to get your free case evaluation.

Will a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Get More for My Settlement?

The answer is YES, if you hire the right attorney.

Countless clients have hired the personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman after receiving low-ball offers from insurance companies and our attorneys have gone on to recover 6 times, 12 times and even 50 times the original offer. While past cases do not guarantee future results, the personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman are committed to aggressively pursuing your compensation.

 
Not every personal injury lawyer can obtain the results you may want or need. When evaluating personal injury lawyers, you must consider the following to ensure your claim is being properly presented and framed so that you receive maximum compensation:

Aggressive Pursuit of Compensation

Your lawyer should create a plan of attack to maximize the compensation available under your claim and make sure there is evidence to force the insurance company to pay what you deserve. Insurance companies and defense lawyers will not consider claims that lack sufficient evidence to support the demand for compensation. A skilled and aggressive personal injury lawyer will make sure every aspect of your claim is maximized.

Track Record of Success

Insurance companies know which personal injury lawyers accept low-ball offers and which lawyers will go to court to obtain maximum compensation for their clients. You do not want a personal injury lawyer or law firm that does not go to court or litigate their own claims. There are several of these law firms in Dayton and throughout Ohio. During your initial consultation with the lawyer, be sure to ask if he or she is the lawyer that will represent you if your case goes to court. The personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman are recognized as some of the top personal injury lawyers in Ohio.

Client Reviews and Testimonials

Developments in technology and the ability to quickly and securely share information has allowed former clients to leave reviews and testimonials about their experience with a lawyer and/or law firm. Client reviews and testimonials are a great insight into the outcome obtained for the client. While each case is different and presents unique facts and circumstances, client reviews will give you an indication of what you can expect from the lawyer regarding skill, communication and genuine concern for the client’s interest. The personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman are aggressive in their creation of a plan to maximize your claim under Ohio law, which includes compensation for three types of damages: special damages; general damages; and punitive damages.

Special Damages

Under Ohio law, an injured party is entitled to the following types of economic (special) damages:
  1. Past Medical Expenses
  2. Future Medical Expenses
  3. Past Loss of Earnings
  4. Future Loss of Earnings or Earning Capacity
  5. Out of Pocket Expenses

General Damages

Under Ohio law, an injured party is entitled to the following types of non-economic (general) damages:
  1. Past Physical Pain and Suffering
  2. Future Physical Pain and Suffering
  3. Past Mental Pain and Suffering
  4. Future Mental Pain and Suffering
  5. Past Loss of Enjoyment of Life
  6. Future Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Punitive Damages

Under Ohio law, an injured party may be entitled to punitive damages if the injured party can prove that the defendant’s actions showed “malice or aggravated or egregious fraud” or the defendant knowingly “authorized, participated in, or ratified actions” that were malicious or egregious. The purpose of punitive damages is not to compensate the plaintiff, but rather to punish the defendant for his actions and to deter others from committing a similar offense. Many times, unrepresented claimants and inexperienced attorneys that do not limit their practice to personal injury claims will leave valuable compensation on the table because the injured victim’s claim is not properly presented to the insurance company. Each and every personal injury claim requires an exhaustive review of the damages listed above so that the injured party receives the compensation he or she deserves. A small mistake can cost the injured victim lots of compensation. The personal injury layers at Cowan & Hilgeman have recovered millions in compensation for our clients. Our lawyers create plans of attack for each case specific to the client’s needs and expectations. The personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman will help maximize the value of your claim and fully explain the claim process throughout the entire case. The personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman offer free case evaluations and only get paid an attorney fee if they win your case.