Houston Personal Injury Attorney

Family is Awarded $1 Billion in Fen-Phen Death Lawsuit

The family of a Texas woman who died from using Fen-Phen diet rugs has been awarded $1.013 billion dollars by a jury in Beaumont, Texas. The drug manufacturer, Wyeth, was found responsible for the woman's death. Cynthia Cappel-Coffey died 4 years after the use of the diet drugs. She began to take Pondimin in November 1996 and continued to use them until June 1997. Cappel-Coffey developed primary pulmonary hypertension in 2001, which was the cause of her death.

Cappel-Coffey's family initially received $113 million in compensatory damages and was awarded $900 million additional punitive damages after six days of deliberation. Wyeth, the company that manufactures the drug, has spent over $16.6 billion dollars in lawsuit settlements that were initiated by former fen-phen users. Many cases represent users that developed heart-valve damage as a result from using the drug. Wyeth states that these lawsuits make up less than one percent of diet drug litigation.

Drug manufacturers have the responsibility to produce safe drugs and must be held accountable for negligent practices. Consulting an attorney is the first step in protecting your legal rights. A licensed attorney can evaluate your case and help you decide if pursuing a lawsuit is the right path for you. Contact the Houston personal injury attorneys at Williams Kherkher for more information. Call 800.220.9341 to speak with an experienced attorney today.