Possible Class Action Lawsuits for Accutane Side Effects

Tuesday, 08 March 2011 11:28

Will Accutane Injury Lawsuits turn into a Class Action?

Accutane was a medication that was manufactured by Roche AG that was used for the treatment of severe forms of acne in patients around the United States for decades.  Over that time, millions of people used Accutane for this purpose, but eventually the need for help from Accutane attorneys arose with people from every corner of the map because of the severe Accutane side effects that developed in people who had trusted this medication.  As a result, a large number of Accutane lawsuits have been filed, and more are expected in the near future.  When a situation such as this one arises, it often leads many to wonder if a class action lawsuit will be filed.  This issue is discussed below.

Acne Drug Side Effect Lawsuits

When a controversy arises that affects a large number of people, particularly a large number of people across different jurisdictions, it can give rise to a federal class action lawsuit.  Basically, a class action lawsuit is a legal action filed on behalf of a large group of plaintiffs.  However, in order to a class action to be certified, certain standards must be met before the case can proceed as such.  These standards include:

1. Numbers – While no specific number of plaintiffs is required, there should be enough such that filing individual claims against one defendant is not practical.
2. Similar claims – The plaintiffs in the class would need to have suffered similar types of harm from the actions of the defendant.
3. Similar cases – The plaintiffs would need to seek to use similar legal theories as others so that all of the claims can be adequately heard.
4. Fair class protection – The attorneys need to be able to provide proper representation to all members of the class.

Accutane Lawyers and Potential for a Class Action Lawsuit

To date, there has not been an Accutane class action lawsuit filed against Roche.  That’s not because it is not possible or because courts have rejected attempts to do so.  At this point, it still could happen.  In the meantime, those who have suffered as a result of using this medication should contact the Accutane lawyers at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation so that their legal rights can be properly enforced.