Lawsuit Filed Against Stonegate Pharmacy Alleging Negligence
Our attorneys at Howry Breen & Herman are representing a Leander woman who suffered severe harm after being injected with a prescribed B-12 shot compounded by Stonegate Pharmacy.
Compounding pharmacies, such as Stonegate, create custom-made medicines for people unable to take general prescriptions. If the company makes an error when fashioning the drug, patients could suffer potentially life-threatening injuries.
Such is the case of our client who is on prescription B-12 for a medical condition that causes seizures. Over the last 5 years, she had received around 250 injections and never encountered a problem. That was until she was administered an injection compounded by Stonegate that had a pH level of over 13.2 – her dose should only have had between 6.5 and 7. She was injected with a substance that contained as much pH as bleach.
When the liquid coursed through her veins, she felt an intense burning sensation that flowed all through her arm. On top of that, she had a headache and felt extremely dizzy. Her doctors said the reaction suggested she suffered a third-degree chemical burn from the shot, and she would need surgery to treat it.
However, also having Stage 3 breast cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, our client was unable to be put under anesthesia for the surgery. She had to have the debridement – a procedure in which unhealthy tissue is removed from a wound – while awake in the surgeon’s office. The surgical treatment left her with a large hole in her upper arm. She will likely need to undergo 13 to 15 more of these procedures.
Were you injured as a result of a B12 shot or another defective drug? You can get compensation for your suffering. Learn more from a free consultation with Howry, Breen & Herman.
History of Violations
This is not the first time Stonegate has made an error that put the health and safety of a patient at risk. In May of 2019, a thyroid compound mixed by the pharmacy contained almost 54,000% of the prescribed dosage. The woman who took the medication almost died as a result of the error.
Since 2014, Stonegate has received citations for 7 code violations. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate tailored prescriptions, it does inspect compound pharmacies. In 2016 and 2018, the agency filed 2 inspection reports against Stonegate.
Further aggravating matters is Stonegate’s lack of notification to affected patients when it knows a problem exists with one of its compounded medications. In 2016, it failed to inform a patient about a bad batch of thyroid medicine when it knew 2 other people had already suffered harm.
Taking Legal Action Against the Pharmacy
Generally, it takes years for the state or FDA to investigate a claim made against a pharmacy. Attorney Sean Breen, who is representing the woman in the present case, told KVUE that was unbelievable. Instead of waiting around for an investigation, during which time other patients could be hurt by Stonegate’s negligence, he stated that legal action needs to be taken now. “They’re going to exercise their rights in court, to have 12 people in Travis County say enough is enough,” Breen said.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with Howry Breen & Herman
If you were harmed because of a company’s negligence, you might be entitled to pursue a lawsuit to recover compensation for damages. Our lawyers have extensive experience handling various legal matters, including drug injuries, and we are dedicated to helping victims get the financial justice they deserve. We will thoroughly investigate your claim and build a legal strategy to obtain a fair settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.
To discuss your legal options with our team, call us at (512) 430-4844 or contact us online.