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Our Depakote® lawyers can investigate cases on behalf of patients who believe the drug Depakote® has caused them harm. To speak with someone about a potential claim, contact our Depakote® birth defect attorneys today.

Types of Cases Handled by Depakote® Lawyers

Depakote® lawyers help clients who have cases against the manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, because of alleged side effects from the medication, including birth defects.

Depakote® is a medication to treat seizures in epileptic patients and those with other kinds of seizures or uncontrollable movements. It also is used to treat mania in manic-depressive patients and can be used to prevent migraines.

The drug works by enhancing the action of the brain chemical called GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brains of mammals. An increase in this substance usually has a relaxing, anti-anxiety, anti-convulsive effect.

Depakote® Side Effect Risk

Some of the side effects of Depakote® are very serious or even life threatening. The following are dangerous side effects of the drug, which can be grounds for a lawsuit by the patient who experiences them:

• Birth Defects — If a woman takes Depakote® during pregnancy, she risks having a baby with birth defects of the spinal cord (spina bifida) and developmental delays such as in walking or beginning to talk. The drug has been shown in some instances to cause fetal death. This is a complicated situation because untreated epilepsy is dangerous to both the mother and the child.
• Liver Damage — Depakote® can cause dangerous or life-threatening damage to the liver, particularly in children under two years of age; in people taking more than one drug to prevent seizures, and in people with the following conditions:
• Severe seizure disorder and mental retardation
• Some inherited diseases (urea cycle disorder) that prevent the body from properly converting food to energy
• Any condition that affects the person’s ability to think, learn, or understand
• Liver disease
• Pancreatic Damage — This medication can cause serious, life-threatening damage to the pancreas.

Other dangerous side effects of this medication which should prompt the patient to immediately call the doctor are: tiny purple spots on the skin, suicidal thoughts or actions, unusual bleeding or bruising, difficulty breathing or swallowing, confusion, blisters or a rash, itching and hives, swollen glands and fever.

All of the side effects described above are potential causes for a Depakote® lawsuit.

When to Contact a Depakote® Lawyer

When you or someone you love experiences any of these dangerous side effects, you should contact a Depakote® lawyer. Contact us to schedule an evaluation of your case.

"Depakote Risks Must Be Adequately Assessed"

Depakote is currently the mot prescribed branded treatment for patients with mania associated with bipolar disorder and the most prescribed branded treatment for epilepsy. Made by Abbott Laboratories, the company just had a victory after proving a gene...

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