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Concerns with Pradaxa Usage Grow, May be Linked to Severe Bleeding

Posted on May 3rd, 2012

Individuals who have taken the blood thinner Pradaxa, may be entitled to compensation if they have suffered severe bleeding, a GI bleed, brain hemorrhage, peripheral artery clot, ischemic stroke, or heart attack. Attorneys at the Goldenberg Heller Law Firm are looking into whether injured Pradaxa users have a legal claim for monetary compensation, and would like to hear from Pradaxa users who have experienced any severe bleeding while taking the drug.

In 2011, the FDA announced that it was looking into reports of serious bleeding events by users of Pradaxa. The FDA also advised users to seek medical attention at the appearance of any signs of severe bleeding.

Approved by the FDA in 2010, Pradaxa is a blood thinning medication used to reduce the risk of a stroke in people with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Although blood thinners like Pradaxa and Coumadin are known to have risks of severe bleeding, Coumadin has an antidote. Pradaxa does not have this antidote, and it may therefore be difficult to stop the bleeding if an unexpected injury has occurred.

The Pradaxa attorneys at our firm would like to speak with people who have taken this drug and experienced a GI bleed, brain hemorrhage, or any serious bleeding event. Please contact Katie Hubbard, or call 1-800-782-8492 for a free review of your potential Pradaxa claim.

GHAR’s Pam Steele is ‘Kickin Cancer’ in the Relay for Life

Posted on April 17th, 2012 by The Firm

We’re proud of our own Pam Steele, who is participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life – a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease.

At Relay for Life, teams of people camp out at a local school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events that last up to 24 hours.

You can join Pam’s team, or make a donation to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Together, we can help make sure that cancer never steals another year of anyone’s life!

Pam will be participating at the Relay for life in Collinsville, IL on Friday, May 18, 2012. Opening Ceremony begins at 6pm at Dorris Intermediate School.
Support Pam’s team, ‘Kickin Cancer’ here.

Every day, the American Cancer Society helps us stay well by preventing cancer or finding it at its earliest, most treatable stages. They assist families in finding the best resources to help their friend or loved one deal with a diagnosis and their journey to get well. The American Cancer Society is also rallying communities through events like Relay For Life, to fight back and find cures for this disease.

Help families get a fresh start – GHAR & Phoenix Crisis Center

Posted on April 13th, 2012 by Katie A. Hubbard

GHAR is proud to be a sponsor of the Phoenix Crisis Center 14th Annual Trivia Night and Silent Auction. We hope you join us for this fun and important event on Saturday, March April 21, 2012 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Granite City, IL. It will be an evening of trivia, prizes and more benefiting families in need.

The Phoenix Crisis Center’s mission is to shelter families from violence. They work to empower women and children impacted by domestic violence to live safely, independently and free from further violence. Located in Granite City, their domestic violence shelter is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing an emergency hotline, shelter, counseling, education, children’s services, legal advocacy and other supportive services.

This is a worthwhile cause that depends each and every year on the generosity of others. There are many ways you can participate: To attend Trivia Night, tables of eight players are available for $120 per table. The doors open at 6:00 pm and the fun starts at 7:00 pm. If you are not interested in playing, there are sponsorship opportunities available, including $100 trivia round sponsors and $500 event sponsors.

If you have any further questions visit www.phoenixcrisiscenter.org or feel free to contact The Phoenix Crisis Center’s Jennifer Kelley at 618-451-4267 or Rachael Friedel at 618-781-4102. We’ll see you there!

Social Media Dos and Don’ts when you are Involved in a Lawsuit

Posted on April 11th, 2012 by Robert D. Rowland

The use of social media as legal evidence is a growing trend in lawsuits. Lawyers are increasingly scouring the internet and social media websites for comments, photos, videos, and other information that can discredit or reflect badly for the other side.

If you are involved in a lawsuit, and have a blog, personal website, or accounts on social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, LinkedIn, Foursquare, or Meetup, here are some social media dos and don’ts to keep in mind during your case:

DO:
Remember That What You Post on the Internet Can (And Will) Be Used Against You. If you have a pending case, you can count on the fact that the other side is searching the internet for any information it can find to harm your case.

Use the Most Restrictive Privacy Settings Possible. Review the privacy settings on all your social networking profiles to ensure that only people you trust can see your personal information, posts, photos and videos. Update your privacy settings every three months.

Keep in Mind That the Internet Is a Public Place. Social media accounts can be hacked, and even the most stringent privacy settings do not keep the people you friend from sharing your posts and information on their own pages or elsewhere.

Consider Everything You Post a Permanent Record. Much of what you post on the internet is permanently recorded somewhere. Facebook keeps all of your information even if you close your account, and search engines such as the Internet Archive Wayback Machine can find old webpages that have been altered or deleted.

Think about Quitting or Limiting All Social Media During Your Case. By doing so, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary risk of compromising your case, or having courts and lawyers scrutinize your private life.

DON’T:
Post Anything on the Internet about Your Case, Your Incident, or Your Injuries. Also ask your family and friends not to discuss your case on the internet, either on your page or theirs.

Use Social Networking Messaging Platforms to Discuss Your Case. Sometimes even private messages can be shared by your friends or discovered by the other side.

Friend Anyone You Do Not Know Personally. Sometimes unethical lawyers or investigators may try to access your webpage under a false name. Make sure you know a person before allowing them to access your website, blog or profile.

Comment on News Articles or Blog Posts about Your Case. Even if you make comments “anonymously” or with a different username or email, in some cases your comments may still be traced back to you.

Do you have any questions about social media or a claim? Contact us.

GHAR Welcomes New Partner John W. McCracken

Posted on March 29th, 2012

Everyone at Goldenberg Heller Antognoli & Rowland is pleased to welcome new partner John W. McCracken to the firm. John has prosecuted and defended a wide variety of lawsuits including shareholder dispute, breach of contract, title insurance, real estate, negligence, fraud, and conspiracy claims. He will be focused in the practice area of business and commercial law.

John brings with him a wide range of experience in corporate and transactional matters. He has represented corporate clients through complex asset and stock purchases, employment matters, real estate developments, and collection matters. A unique area of John’s practice is in the fiber-optic communications industry where he has represented clients in the construction and sale of fiber-optic communication systems.

John’s earned a Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University in 1997, a Master’s of Public Administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1992, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Millikin University in 1990.

Dedicated to staying active in his community, John serves on the board of the Edwardsville YMCA and of the Children’s Home and Aid-Southern Region. He is also the Chair of the Fire and Police Commission for the City of Edwardsville, a member of the Goshen Rotary Club, and serves on the property committee of the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois.

Please welcome John to GHAR, and feel free to contact him with any question regarding business or commercial law.