by

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters were created to treat patients with a high risk of pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition. In 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved C.R. Bard’s Recovery IVC filter. Many patients use anticoagulants (blood-thinners) to treat their risk of pulmonary embolism, but some patients are unable to take these drugs. The IVC filters were designed to provide a treatment option for these patients. The filter is implanted into the inferior vena cava and prevents embolism by catching blood clots before they can pass into the lungs. Unfortunately, shortly after the Recovery filter’s release, problems started to emerge. Over time, pieces of the filter may begin breaking off, resulting in serious injury and even death. Contact a Boston Injury Lawyer Today.

Most Common IVC Filter Injuries

Bard IVC filters are linked to multiple injuries and fatalities. Injuries range in severity and cause, but the most common include:

Severe pain

Internal bleeding

Perforations in blood vessels, tissue, and organ

Respiratory problem

Pulmonary embolism

Heart attack

Deep vein thrombosis

Death Continue reading

by

In 2010, qui tam whistleblower David Kester alleged that Novartis AG, a European pharmaceutical company, offered illegal kickbacks in an effort to increase sales of its transplant drug Myfortic. Just one week before the trial was expected to begin, the pharmaceutical giant agreed to settle a False Claims Act (FCA) to the tune of $390 million.

A whistleblower is an individual who reports information about illegal activity in any public or private organization. The qui tam provisions allow individuals to file lawsuits on behalf of the federal government, with the main goal being to recover funds that were fraudulently taken. In addition to recovering funds, reporting this type of information may protect public safety and well-being, and it can be very lucrative for the whistleblower. Contact a Boston Whistleblower Lawyer.

Novartis Paid Illegal Kickbacks to Pharmacies in Exchange for Pushing Certain Drugs

Continue reading

by

A 21-year-old Brockton man was killed early Sunday morning when he was ejected from a car and struck by six passing vehicles. The man, who is not being named until the family has been notified, was thrown from the passenger seat of a 1999 Acura when it crashed northbound near exit 20 at approximately 3:10 in the morning. The Acura’s 20-year-old driver, also from Brockton, was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center. No charges have been filed yet, but according to police, “Charges for the operator are under investigation.” Contact a Boston Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer.

The second car in the initial crash was driven by a 28-year-old Roslindale man who was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center by ambulance.

After being ejected from the car, the 21-year-old victim was struck by six vehicles. The other vehicles and drivers involved were: a 60-year-old Brockton man driving a 2005 Lincoln LS, a 45-year-old Mattapan woman driving a 2009 Audi Q7, a 21-year-old Brockton man driving a 2007 Lexus IS250, a 36-year-old New Hampshire man driving a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe, and a 49-year-old Middleborough woman driving a 2009 Toyota Matrix. Police initially responded to reports of a pedestrian being struck. When they arrived, they learned that the victim had actually been ejected from a car.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. In addition to Massachusetts State Police, first responders included Stoughton Fire and Emergency Medical Services, the state Department of Transportation, and Stoughton Police. The State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, along with their Crime Scene Services Section, the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office are all assisting with the ongoing investigation. Continue reading

by

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are a concern among student athletes, especially those engaged in high impact sports such as football, soccer, and rubgy. These injuries can cause both physical and cognitive symptoms, but they can also result in serious psychological and emotional issues. The focus has long been on physical symptoms such as headaches and fatigue, and neurocognitive problems with concentration and memory. However, ignoring the emotional trauma that may follow SRCs and mTBIs can be especially detrimental for student athletes. At such a young age, they may lack the life experience and confidence to speak out about their suffering. Contact a Boston Injury Attorney.

Psychological and emotional symptoms may begin to appear soon after the injury, or they may not surface until during the athlete’s recovery phase. The athlete may experience depression, fatigue, and a strong sense of loss. This may mean a loss of skills or control, or simply the loss of normalcy. He or she may also feel afraid and vulnerable, which can lead to an overwhelming sense of anxiety about what comes next. A young athlete may simply describe these emotions as “not feeling like myself,” and it is common for parents, teachers, and coaches to assume that this is the normal course of events following an injury. In some cases, this may be true. However, it is important to keep an eye on an injured athlete. Close monitoring by doctors, teachers, and parents of both physical and emotional symptoms is essential to a student athlete’s full recovery following a SRC or mTBI.

Non-Physical Symptoms of SRCs and mTBIs Continue reading

by

Hip replacements are one of the most common surgeries in the United States. Degenerative conditions and injuries can result in debilitating pain. Fortunately for thousands of patients, hip replacement surgery provides welcome relief and the ability to resume normal activity. As with all medical technology, the hip replacement industry has evolved over the years in an effort to provide increasingly effective products. In doing so, manufacturers began moving away from plastic and ceramic replacements in favor of all-metal designs, which they claimed were more flexible and durable. Unfortunately, the metal devices have been linked to incapacitating injuries, and the industry is facing lawsuits in the tens of thousands. Contact a Boston Injury Lawyer.

First Jury Award Over $8.3 Million

The first manufacturer to pull out of the all-metal business is the DePuy division of Johnson & Johnson. However, they are not likely to be the last. According to the New York Times, all other manufacturers are expected to follow as the early failure rates are staggeringly high. Johnson & Johnson alone is facing at least 13,300 lawsuits. In addition, recent awards to victims of the metal replacements have been high, with the first jury award being in excess of $8.3 million. This case was quickly decided in favor of the victim and will likely set the bar for future lawsuits. Although an industry exit is good news for future hip replacement patients, it does little to help the thousands of people already implanted with the metal design.

Is the FDA’s Antiquated Approval Process to Blame?

The FDA’s approval process for metal hip replacements may be partially to blame for the early failure rate and injuries. Hip replacements are not considered ‘essential medical devices’ and are therefore subject to a markedly less stringent approval process. Essential devices, such as artificial hearts for example, require significant tests including human testing. Metal hip replacements went to market without a single human test. Continue reading

by

The decision to hire a personal injury attorney is typically preceded by a difficult, sometimes even traumatic, situation. You may have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, developed a serious medical condition after taking a prescription medication, or slipped on the icy walkway of a local business. Injuries suffered due to the negligence of another can be doubly challenging. In addition to the pain and potential financial consequences of a serious injury, you may be experiencing an overwhelming sense of anger and frustration. If negligence played a role in your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for related expenses, including medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and transportation costs. However, the process of filing a personal injury claim can be complicated and confusing. Experienced legal help can make all the difference in the world. Contact a Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorney Today.

Hiring the right legal counsel can make or break your case. Although it is in your best interest to consult with an attorney as soon as possible following an accident or injury, blindly rushing into a decision is not wise. If you’ve been injured in any type of accident, begin searching for an attorney immediately. However, do your homework. The checklist below can help you determine if a certain lawyer is the right fit for you and your particular case. Continue reading

by

The drug Pradaxa was the first in a new class of anticoagulant drugs called thrombin inhibitors. Pradaxa was an immediate hit with atrial fibrillation patients as an alternative to the high-maintenance Warfarin. The industry standard of anticoagulant treatments up until recently, warfarin requires constant blood monitoring to check for hemorrhaging. However, this new class of thrombin inhibitors claimed to have less side-effects and no need for blood monitoring. This claim was met with great enthusiasm by patients and physicians alike, to the tune of $1 billion in annual sales. Unfortunately, in all of the excitement, some major details got overlooked. Contact a Boston Injury Lawyer.

Pradaxa Manufacturer Settles $650 Million Lawsuit

All anticoagulants come with a risk of increased bleeding. It’s what can be done once the hemorrhaging begins that determines the safety of the drug. With Warfarin, despite the inconvenience of constant blood monitoring and the very increased risk of hemorrhaging, there is an approved reversal agent (antidote) if hemorrhaging does occur. Physicians can administer a dose of vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma to quickly halt the bleeding. Unfortunately, no such antidote exists with Pradaxa or any thrombin inhibitor currently on the market. Boehringer Ingelheim’s failure to warn of this very important detail is at the core of many of the 4,000 lawsuits recently settled by the manufacturer for a total of $650 million. The settlement comes out to more than $150,000  per person. Continue reading

by

In a tragic accident on Monday morning, a 31-year-old Sturbridge woman was killed and two children were seriously injured when her vehicle collided with a cement truck on Route 20 in Oxford. At approximately 8:30 am, the unidentified woman crossed the center line and hit the cement truck. The impact of the collision forced her car into a third vehicle, an SUV driven by RobesPierre LaFleur. According to police, the cement truck’s front wheels broke off and the massive vehicle skidded several hundred feet down the road on its side before coming to a complete stop. Contact a Boston Injury Attorney.

8-Month-Old-Baby on Life Support, 2-Year-Old Boy in Serious Condition

The driver of the truck and the SUV received non-life threatening injuries. However, the woman driving the car that collided with the truck has been confirmed dead. An 8-month-old baby boy sustained life threatening injuries and is currently on life support, and a 2-year-old boy is also in serious condition. The children were both taken to UMass Medical Center in Worcester. The other two surviving victims were each taken to a local hospital.

The driver of the SUV is in agony over the accident. RobesPierre LaFleur was in serious pain after the collision, but he immediately ran to the car when he saw it had been crushed by the cement truck. “I was trying to help the mother,” LaFleur said.  “I touched her, and I said, ‘Mom, are you OK?’ However, it didn’t take long to determine that the woman hadn’t survived the crash.

After checking on the woman, LaFleur saw the little boy in his car seat and attempted to get him out. “He was coming in and out of consciousness,” he said. It wasn’t until a few moments later that he noticed the baby, crushed against the door. First responders were able to free the infant, but he remains on life support. Continue reading

by

According to police, at some point between 2:00 and 2:50 am, a man entered a female Boston University student’s dorm room and sexually assaulted her. The unknown man appeared to be of college age, had brown hair and a medium build, and was between 5’8” and 5’10” tall.

The unknown man, who the victim described as wearing a dark-colored button down shirt with a down vest, fled the StuVi 2 dorm immediately following the alleged assault. Police have not said whether they have identified a suspect. However, according to BU Sergeant Larry Cuzzi, the incident is currently under investigation. In the meantime, they are suggesting that students keep their residences locked and secure, and requesting that any suspicious activity be reported to police. Contact Boston Injury Lawyers.

Nearly 25% of Female Students Report Sexual Assault on Campus

The incident, which occurred in a dorm at 33 Harry Agganis Way, is a surprisingly common occurrence at Boston University. According to a university survey conducted last spring and published this fall, nearly one-quarter of female students – 23 percent – reported being sexually assaulted while on campus. Even more disturbing is the fact that these statistics are not unique to BU. In fact, nationwide reports of anonymous surveys across thousands of college campuses show statistics that are almost identical. In the United States alone, one out of every four female college students report being raped or otherwise sexually assaulted on a college campus.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), of all sexual assaults on women in the US, 51.5% of perpetrators were reported to be intimate partners of the victim, 40.8% were reported to be acquaintances, 13.8% were reported to be strangers, and 12.5% were reported to be family members. Continue reading

by

Fox NFL Sideline reporter, Erin Andrews, is suing Marriot International and multiple other defendants, claiming they were guilty of negligence and invasion of privacy. Andrews, 37, claims that a stalker named Michael David Barrett filmed her through a peephole while she was staying at a Nashville Marriot in 2008. Andrews is seeking $75 million in damages. For local negligence or ‘invasion of privacy’ cases, contact a Boston injury lawyer.

According to court records, Barrett obtained the video by removing the peephole in Andrews’ room and videotaping her while she was undressing. Barrett then posted the video online which resulted in an FBI investigation after the video went viral. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison for felony stalking. Andrews is also suing the Marriot, claiming that its employees not only told Barret that she was staying at the hotel, but also placed him in the adjacent room.

“A Lot of People Just Looked at it as a Joke”

In an interview with Redbook last year, the NFL reporter and “Dancing with the Stars” co-host talked about how difficult the experience has been for her. “I’m not sure it will ever be entirely over for me,” Andrews said. “What made that experience even more horrible was that a lot of people just looked at it as a joke — like I pursued litigation to become famous. It’s proved to me how strong I am. I couldn’t pretend like it wasn’t a big deal. It was.”

The trial, which is slated to begin in late February, is expected to last no more than 10 days. Andrews filed the lawsuit back in 2011, but was recently asked to name a specific amount for her damages. Some are criticizing the $75 million figure as being absurdly high, however, the 2008 Nashville incident wasn’t the first time Barrett had filmed Andrews in the nude. He was convicted of stalking her at two other hotels and filming her on another occasion. Although Barrett received a 30 month prison sentence for the 2008 incident, he is now free. “You violated me and you violated all women,” said Andrews at the 2011 trial. “You are a sexual predator, a sexual deviant and they should lock you up.” Continue reading

Contact Information
Cambridge, MA
Main Office
675 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617.492.3000Fax: 617.491.3299Toll Free: 800.481.6199
Boston, MA
1 State St
Suite 2
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617.547.1205Toll Free: 800.481.6199
Needham, MA
250 First Avenue 2nd Floor
Needham, MA 02494
Phone: 781.675.2329Toll Free: 800.481.6199

Some Select Cases are referred to other attorneys for principal responsibility

By publishing this information on this Website, the Boston, Massachusetts law firm of Altman & Altman LLP is not claiming to represent any clients or cases mentioned here. The content provided is designed to inform readers and is not intended as legal advice.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2025, Altman & Altman LLP
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design