May 22, 2001-Dimetapp Makers Sued Over Death

---

The parents of a 10-year-old boy who suffered a stroke and eventually died after taking Dimetapp filed a $ 41 million lawsuit against the makers of the popular over-the-counter cold medicine. Brad and Donna Walker of Portland accuse American Home Products Corp. of being negligent and failing to provide warnings that a key ingredient in the medication could be dangerous for children. A similar lawsuit was filed in federal court in Philadelphia Monday by a Pennsylvania woman who suffered a debilitating stroke a day after taking Dimetapp. Vicki D. Vogt of Honeybrook, Pa., is seeking $ 40 million.

The lawsuits do not appear to be linked. Officials with Madison, N.J.-based American Home Products, the nation's fifth-largest drug maker, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Monday. Last November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that dozens of over-the-counter cold medicines and diet pills contain phenylpropanolamine, or PPA, that could cause hemorrhagic strokes, especially in young women.

The unusually strong warning led a number of major drug store chains to strip the products from shelves, while drug makers reformulated the medicines to remove PPA. Dimetapp, like many other drugs that used PPA, has since been reformulated. Mathew Walker suffered a seizure on June 17, 1996, after his pediatrician told his mother to give him Dimetapp to avoid an ear infection from swimming. The boy died at a Portland hospital in October 1999, after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke, which is rare in children. He lapsed into a coma and never regained consciousness.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of taking any drug or supplement, call The Gunn Law Group now at (813) 228-7070 or CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A SIMPLE CASE FORM. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to review your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds. Don't delay! You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the statute of limitations expires.

<< back

---

The Gunn Law Group handles cases involving Insurance Claims, Homeowners Insurance, Property Insurance Coverage and Disputes, Insurance Bad Faith, Hurricane Insurance Claims, as well as the most serious of Personal Injury such as: Automobile Accidents, Spinal Cord Injuries, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability and Wrongful Death. The Gunn Law Group serves the following Florida areas: Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Arcadia, Atlantic Beach, Bartow, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs, Boynton Beach, Bradenton, Brandon, Brooksville, Cape Coral, Casselberry, Clearwater, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Crestview, Crystal River, Dade City, Dania, Daytona Beach, Deerfield Beach, Deland, Delray Beach, Destin, Dunedin, Englewood, Eustis, Fernandina Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Green Cove Springs, Gulf Breeze, Hallandale, Hialeah, Hollywood, Homestead, Hudson, Inverness, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jupiter, Key Biscayne, Key Largo, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake City, Lake Mary, Lake Wales, Lake Worth, Lakeland, Largo, Leesburg, Live Oak, Longwood, Lutz, Maitland, Marathon, Marco Island, Melbourne, Merritt Island, Miami, Miami Beach, Milton, Mount Dora, Naples, New Port Richey, New Smyrna Beach, Niceville, North Fort Myers, North Miami Beach, North Palm Beach, Ocala, Okeechobee, Orange Park, Orlando, Ormond Beach, Oviedo, Palatka, Palm Bay, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm City, Palm Coast, Palm Harbor, Panama City, Pensacola, Perry, Plant City, Pompano Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Port Saint Lucie, Punta Gorda, Quincy, Rockledge, Safety Harbor, Saint Augustine, Saint Petersburg, Sanford, Sanibel, Sarasota, Satellite Beach, Sebring, Seminole, Shalimar, Spring Hill, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Tavares, Tavernier, Titusville, Venice, Vero Beach, West Palm Beach, Weston, Winter Haven, Winter Park, Winter Springs Copyright 2008 © Gunn Law Group, P.A. , All Rights Reserved Terms & Conditions Site Map