Awareness concerning the real benefits and risks of androgen treatments comes too late for many men. Testosterone levels begin to decline around age 25. So scores of middle-aged men hoped androgen treatments (like AndroGel) might act like a “fountain of youth.” But what they got were strokes and myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), some even deadly. Of course, men diagnosed with hypogonadism may need low T therapy to raise their androgen levels. However, androgen-based treatments can harm men who treat low T therapy as a miracle anti-aging drug.
Men who were once looking for a testosterone boost are now filing Low-T lawsuits.
Low T Compensation, Injuries, and Improper Marketing
The suits first began in 2014 when five men sued Abbott Laboratories for their AndroGel product. The men, ranging in age from 50-63, had various injuries, all related to blood clots. Three claimants say they had heart attacks after using AndroGel. A fourth man said he had a stroke, and a fifth reported a mini-stroke. They say the drug manufacturer “deceived potential AndroGel users by relaying positive information through the press, including testimonials from retired professional athletes.” In addition, the plaintiffs say AndroGel’s maker “downplayed known adverse and serious health risks.”
While these men were the first to sue the pharmaceutical giants for misleading advertising and failure to relay the damages their products caused, they are certainly not the last. In fact, there have been so many men filing claims for compensation that the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) has ordered all federal lawsuits involving Low T therapy products centralized in Chicago, Illinois.
Pending Litigation for Men Injured by Androgen Treatments
Androgen lawsuits are ongoing, but two plaintiffs recently won almost $300 million in damages. The first plaintiff, Jesse Mitchell, won $150 million in punitive damages during a Chicago bellwether trial in July. The second plaintiff, Jeffrey Konrad, also suffered a heart attack just two months after starting androgen therapy with AndroGel. In October, a jury awarded Konrad $140,000 in compensatory and $140 million in punitive damages.
While AndroGel’s manufacturer, AbbVie, intends to appeal both rulings, legal experts say the second verdict is harder to overturn. That’s because the jury in Konrad’s case awarded both compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages indicate the jury found AndroGel directly contributed to Konrad’s heart attack, making it much harder to overturn on appeal. And recent clinical evidence showing increased risk for strokes, heart attacks and overall morbidity means more men are still coming forward.
What Testosterone Therapy Victims Can Do
Men who suffered adverse effects while using androgen therapy products may be compensated for medical expenses and lost wages. If you or a loved one experienced adverse side effects from low T therapy, you may qualify for compensation. Possible health issues reported from low T victims include:
- stroke
- heart attack
- pulmonary embolism
- death
Get your free low testosterone compensation evaluation online in just minutes. After submitting your information, an experienced androgen advocate will contact you to discuss your compensation options.