An Oklahoma woman has filed a lawsuit against Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) and DaVita Inc., alleging that her mother’s death was caused by side effects of the dialysis drug GranuFlo. The complaint was brought by Rhonda Goff’s daughter, Shanterra Goff, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on January 2, 2013. …
An Oklahoma woman has filed a lawsuit against Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) and DaVita Inc., alleging that her mother’s death was caused by side effects of the dialysis drug GranuFlo. The complaint was brought by Rhonda Goff’s daughter, Shanterra Goff, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on January 2, 2013. Two days after Goff filed the GranuFlo lawsuit, the court informed her that her jurisdiction allegations were defective, and that she must file an amended complaint in the state in which the defendant’s principal place of business is located. Shanterra Goff dismissed her case on January 11, but is expected to file an amended lawsuit in the correct jurisdiction. If you took GranuFlo and you have since suffered a serious side effect, or if you lost a loved one to what you believe to be a GranuFlo complication, consult our knowledgeable attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today.
Potential Side Effects of GranuFlo Dialysis Treatment
According to Shanterra Goff’s lawsuit, her mother, Rhonda, had been prescribed GranuFlo and/or NaturaLyte three times a week beginning in July 2008, to prevent acid build-up in her blood during dialysis treatment. Patients suffering from kidney failure can no longer clear acid from their blood on their own, so Fresenius’ GranuFlo and NaturaLyte medications are often used for this purpose. Unfortunately, mounting research suggests that both GranuFlo and NaturaLyte have the potential to raise bicarbonate levels in the blood more than other dialysis concentrates, which can cause the blood to become to alkaline. This condition is called metabolic alkalosis, and can cause severe cardiac problems like arrhythmias and possibly even heart attacks. Goff’s lawsuit alleges that this is what happened to her mother. She underwent dialysis treatment on September 30, 2011 at DaVita International, and died of a heart attack on October 3, 2011.
Deaths Possibly Caused by GranuFlo, NaturaLyte
On November 4, 2011, just one month after Rhonda Goff’s death, FMC issued an internal memo to its own dialysis clinics, warning doctors about the risk of potentially fatal side effects from GranuFlo and NaturaLyte treatment. In the memo, the firm explained that as many as 941 patients suffered sudden cardiac arrest after receiving GranuFlo or NaturaLyte treatment at Fresenius-run clinics in 2010 alone. Unfortunately, FMC inexplicably failed to warn other clinics using GranuFlo and NaturaLyte about these risks, and it wasn’t until June 2012 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Class I recall of the concentrates, noting that they “may cause serious adverse health consequences, including death.”
Our Experienced Attorneys Can Help You File a Claim
In her complaint, Shanterra Goff brought claims of failure to warn, wrongful death, breach of warranty, negligence, unjust enrichment, and fraud and misrepresentation. If you or a loved one has suffered an adverse medical event that you believe to be related to FMC’s GranuFlo dialysis treatment, contact our reputable lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center for legal help. You may have grounds to file a drug injury lawsuit against GranuFlo maker Fresenius Medical Care, in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages related to your alleged drug side effects. With our skilled attorneys on your side, you can protect yourself and your family from further harm and possibly hold the allegedly negligent drug maker liable for its potentially defective medication.