A product liability lawsuit was filed against the makers of Uloric last month, alleging that the drug, prescribed for gout, caused a Vermont man to have a heart attack roughly two years after he began taking it. A rising number of similar complaints have been filed nationwide, alleging that if manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals knew or should have known about the heart disease risks associated with Uloric.

Number of Cases Allege Heart Problems Related to Uloric Use

If the company had warned healthcare professionals and the public earlier about the potential for Uloric to cause myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) or stroke in patients who have gout, many patients could have avoided the events, according to lawsuit allegations. Some have died from heart problems said to be related to Uloric.

Takeda rolled out Uloric (febuxostat) in 2009 for treatment of gout. Over the next decade, it achieved blockbuster status. However, it has become increasingly clear that the drug may cause heart problems. In February of this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required Takeda to place a black box warning on Uloric’s label warning of the potential of heart problems in patients.

Patients Involved in a Suit Against Takeda May Benefit From a Legal Loan

If you or a loved one are among the patients who suffered a heart attack, stroke, or other heart-related problem as a result of taking Uloric and you have brought a legal claim against the manufacturer, you may receive compensation for your medical bills, wages you’ve lost as a result of being unable to work, and more.

Unfortunately, though, legal cases can take a very long time to wend through the courts.

What happens if you have mounting medical bills you can’t pay, or are unable to work? How can you pay your rent or mortgage and put food on the table during the period you are waiting for the court case to be completed?

During this period, it’s possible to get a legal loan to help you economically.

Legal Loans = Cash Advances

Legal loans are nonrecourse. In other words, they are analogous to cash advances. If your case is settled in your favor, you pay back the loan along with reasonable interest out of your settlement or jury award.

But if the defendants win, you won’t owe anything on the loan. In other words, if you lose your case, you’ll never pay anything on the loan. That makes legal loans quite different from a personal loan you’d get from a bank or credit union.

You can use the money from a legal loan for mortgage or rent, groceries, commuting to work or school, health insurance, medical bills, and more – any expense that is reasonable.

Legal loan approval can be granted in 24 hours. No credit check is ever required. There are no hidden costs; the loans are cash advances on a future settlement. We offer the industry’s lowest rates.

Legal loans may not be for everyone. But if your illness has made it hard to make ends meet, they can be a way to make it financially until a settlement is reached.

Don’t Accept Low-Ball Settlement Offers!

There’s another important way legal loans can help you. If you don’t feel financially secure during a case, you may be very tempted to settle at the first offer. That’s understandable, but it decreases your negotiating power. A legal loan can strengthen your power to negotiate – and ultimately help you get a larger settlement.

Additional Resources:

1.     U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA adds Boxed Warning for increased risk of death with gout medicine Uloric (febuxostat). February 21, 2019. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-adds-boxed-warning-increased-risk-death-gout-medicine-uloric-febuxostat.

2.     U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA to evaluate increased risk of heart-related death and death from all causes with the gout medicine febuxostat (Uloric). August 22, 2018. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-fda-evaluate-increased-risk-heart-related-death-and-death-all-causes.