Perdue Kidd & Vickery Wins First Humira Trial - Abbott Laboratories To Pay $2.24 Million

CHICAGO, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a Cook County jury entered a verdict finding Abbott Laboratories negligent and ordering it to pay $2,244,063.20 to Plaintiff Milton Tietz on behalf of his wife, Delores Tietz. The court entered judgment in that sum, plus costs, in favor of the Plaintiff.  This is the first Humira lawsuit filed against Abbott to go to trial.

"Humira has dangerous side effects and Abbott was negligent regarding them.  Justice has been done," said Tietz attorney Andy Vickery of Perdue Kidd & Vickery.

"We are honored that a jury of twelve people looked at the evidence and agreed that Abbott failed to do what the law requires," said Tietz attorney Jim M. Perdue, Jr.   

Delores Tietz was prescribed Humira, a TNF Blocker, for rheumatoid arthritis in October 2009 and took the drug for close to seven months, before almost dying. In early May 2010, Delores began experiencing chest pain and fevers.  Her illness went undiagnosed for weeks, and her family was told it was probable that she would not survive.  Finally, doctors diagnosed her with Humira-induced disseminated histoplasmosis, a severe, life-threatening infection. 

The FDA issued an alert in September 2008 to all manufacturers of TNF blockers, including Abbott Laboratories, to provide new information to the medical community about the risks of unrecognized, drug-induced histoplasmosis.  Abbott failed to send a letter directly to physicians warning of the danger until May 17, 2010, 20 months after the initial FDA alert and 10 days after Mrs. Tietz was hospitalized.  The jury found that Abbott was negligent for not taking reasonable measures to make sure Delores' doctors had a high index of suspicion for histoplasmosis. 

Milton Tietz is represented by Jim M. Perdue Jr., Arnold Anderson Vickery and Fred Shepherd of Perdue Kidd & Vickery, and Gary D. McCallister of Gary D. McCallister & Associates LLC.

Perdue Kidd & Vickery is a national law firm of Personal Injury and Drug Injury Trial Lawyers.  The firm represents individuals and businesses across the country who have been harmed personally and financially.  Perdue Kidd & Vickery is based in Houston, Texas. For more information about Perdue Kidd & Vickery, visit www.perduekiddvickery.com or call 713-520-2500.    

SOURCE Perdue Kidd & Vickery