Alabama Truvada Lawsuits Attorneys

Recently, an active ingredient in the HIV medication, Truvada, was found to be a key factor in the development of grievous health complications that, if left untreated, could be fatal to individuals using the drug. Claims against Gilead Sciences Inc., the drug’s manufacturer, argue that the company knew all about these issues before the drug was released to the public.

As a consequence, many Truvada users are coming forward with their stories, seeking guidance from experienced Truvada lawsuit attorneys in Alabama. If you have suffered bone loss or kidney damages as a result of using Truvada, know that you may have the right to seek compensation for the injuries Gilead caused you.

The Alabama Truvada lawsuit attorneys of Onder Law Firm have years of experience fighting for those that have been taken advantage of by big corporations, and we want to help you get what is properly owed to you. Count on the dedicated attorneys of Onder Law Firm to win the compensation you need to recover.

Complications Resulting From Truvada Use

Truvada works by employing the use of several active ingredients that all have different purposes. The drugs nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), called tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), however, is the problematic ingredient that has been linked to bone and kidney complications in users.

This occurs because excessive amounts of TDF are required to reduce the activity of reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that supports the replication of HIV-infected cells. Before long, this excessive amount of TDF can drain bones of vital calcium and other minerals they need to stay strong, which can lead to a condition known as osteopenia.

If left untreated, osteoporosis can occur. At this point, the user’s bones become brittle and more susceptible to bone fractures. Other related symptoms and complications that can arise include:

Discomfort in extremities
Muscle pain
Dental complications (e.g. tooth decay and loss)

While TDF may cause a lot of concern in users regarding their bones, the potential harm certainly doesn’t stop there. Excessive amounts of TDF can also tax the user’s kidneys as they struggle to filter out the drug. In time, this may cause the kidneys to produce serum creatinine. This is the first sign of chronic kidney disease.

Other kidney-related symptoms and complications that can arise from continual use of Truvada include:

Abnormal protein levels
Declining kidney function/decreased urination
Acute kidney injury
Acute renal failure
Fanconi Syndrome
Tubular dysfunction
Kidney failure

These symptoms and conditions are exacerbated in those that have related preexisting conditions.

What You Should Do If You Have Developed Bone and Kidney Complications

If you have found something that is of cause for concern, speak with your doctor for more advice regarding your treatment plan. Your doctor can conduct a series of tests to determine just how severe your injuries are, giving you an accurate evaluation of your health while giving your Truvada lawyer the documented records needed to calculate the required compensation to cover medical expenses.

After you have received adequate treatment, get together with your experienced Alabama Truvada lawsuit lawyer at Onder Law Firm to discuss what you need for your Truvada injury claim, but be sure to do so during your state’s statute of limitations. Please be aware that the statute of limitations to file a claim in Alabama is two (2) years from when the injury, death, or property damage occurred.

Filing early within your statute of limitations period grants your attorney ample amount of time to secure crucial evidence from witness testimony, conduct legal research, and interview specialists (e.g. doctors, engineers, and other legal professionals) in order to strengthen your claim and ensure fair and full compensation.

Overview of Alabama HIV Facts and Statistics

In the State of Alabama, there are approximately 12,643 people who are living with HIV, signifying a rate of about 310 out of 100,000 people. Of this total:

6 percent were African-American
2 percent were Caucasian
2 percent were Hispanic/Latinx
2 percent identified as a male
8 percent identified as female

Throughout the whole state, around 11 counties are greatly affected by the virus. These counties, and their respective rates, include:

Chambers County – 388 people per 100,000.
Russell County – 417 individuals per 100,000.
Barbour County – 421 people per 100,000.
Dallas County – 422 individuals per 100,000.
Hale County – 436 people per 100,000.
Macon County – 497 people per 100,000.
Mobile County – 511 people per 100,000.
Lowndes County – 606 people per 100,000.
Jefferson County – 621 individuals per 100,000.
Bullock County – 633 individuals per 100,000.
Montgomery County – 750 people per 100,000.

HIV may no longer be considered a death sentence thanks to medications that have drastically improved affected individuals’ quality of life, but around 249 deaths were reported in 2017 that occurred due to complications caused by the virus. That same year, approximately 653 new cases of HIV were diagnosed in Alabama, where men contracted the virus from:

Male-to-Male Sexual Contact (85.7 percent)
Heterosexual Contact (9.3 percent)
Male-to-Male Sexual Contact and Injection Drug Use (3.7 percent)
Injection Drug Use (1.4 percent)

For women, new diagnoses trends signified that they contracted the virus from:

Heterosexual Contact (86.9 percent)
Injection Drug Use (13.1 percent)

It is important to remember that while Truvada has helped prevent HIV from growing in those living with the virus, prolonged use of the drug is what can cause debilitating side effects that require hospitalization.

The Alabama Truvada lawsuit attorneys of Onder Law Firm are the experienced legal representation you need to get the compensation you deserve. Contact us at (314) 310-7924 for your FREE case review today.

Gilead’s Recent Legal Troubles

Even though Gilead has been in operation for over 30 years, a good portion of that time has been spent fending off litigation. Fast forward to the present, and Gilead is currently facing lawsuits from two gentlemen in California that claim the company failed to disclose the debilitating side effects that users are developing.

That’s not the only argument these two men are making, however.

Gilead allegedly manufactured a safer alternative to their TDF-based product called tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) around the same time that it had manufactured TDF in 2001. TAF was proven early on to be just as effective at reducing HIV-infected cells as TDF products like Truvada, only in smaller, safer doses.

Gilead concealed this safer product – along with negative side effect information about Truvada – from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and secured a patent on TDF products lasting until 2015. Ultimately, this allowed Gilead to charge exorbitant prices for Truvada, eventually earning them billions in sales annually.

It wouldn’t be long until word spread about Gilead’s deception, and users that have developed health complications have finally come forward, looking for justice to be served.

The two gentlemen filed personal injury lawsuits for their particular injuries but also filed a class-action lawsuit so that others that have suffered in kind can come forward and collect damages. While this sends off a resounding message to pharmaceutical companies, it undercuts the value of your claim entirely. That’s why you need an experienced Alabama Truvada lawsuit attorney from Onder Law Firm to fight for your FULL financial restitution in civil court.

How Onder Law Firm Can Help You with Your Truvada Claim

Taking a dangerous pharmaceutical case into your own hands is ill-advised, as they tend to be complex, stress-inducing legal proceedings. Pharmaceutical companies often employ many lawyers to defend their interests and provide them with seemingly infinite amounts of resources to do so.

You need a law firm that isn’t afraid to take on large pharmaceutical companies, and that only comes with experience. Onder Law Firm is that law firm.

For years, we have fought for our client’s best interests against many large corporations, earning over $3 billion in verdicts and settlements for those who need it most.

By choosing us, you are choosing a law firm that embraces thorough legal research and strategizing designed to ensure that you secure a full and fair claim. To do so, your lawyer will need to determine where your specific case falls into product liability law, which may occur through any of the following:

Defective Design – This means that the product was defective by design.
Defective Manufacturing – This takes the manufacturing process into consideration, analyzing what part of the creation process caused the defect.
Failure to Warn Defect – Products that are inherently dangerous must always come with warning information, a warranty, or instructions on how to use the product safely.

If the manufacturer failed to adhere to any of the above, they could be held liable for any injuries you sustained when using their product. At that moment, your lawyer can then fight for the compensation you need to properly heal, including recovery for but not limited to:

Medical bills related to the injury (past, present, and future)
Lost wages due to the injury (past, present, and future)
Loss of earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Loss of quality of life
Loss of consortium
Emotional damages
Wrongful death damages