Southern California Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Attorneys of Lessem & Newstat, LLP Launch New Website

Southern California Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Attorneys of Lessem & Newstat, LLP Launch New Website

Darvocet Recall

On November 19, 2010, the FDA announced a voluntary recall of all products containing the drug propoxyphene due to many serious health risks including abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks and even death.   Two major drugs which were affected by this recall were Darvon, and a variation of Darvon, called Darvocet, which combines proxphene and acetaminophen.  It has been estimated that approximately 22 million people in the United States have used Darvocet or Darvon.  What’s disturbing is that the recall of this popular drug was overlooked by many. 

Darvocet / Darvon Recall

Darvocet is one of the 25 most prescribed medications and despite the recall, the US Drug Watchdog fears that tens of thousands of United States citizens still use these medications.  The group is naming their number one goal as indentifying every person in the U.S. who has taken the recalled Darvon or Darvocet and then developed heart conditions, such as heart attacks, heart rhythm issues, or other severe complications; the number is feared to be in the 100,000’s.  

Typical Side Effects of Darvon or Darvocet Users

Darvon and Darvocet may cause a number of severe side-effects, which could lead to serious personal injury or even untimely death.  Individuals who have taken these drugs may experience any of the following conditions:

• Heart attack

• Heart arrhythmia

• Overdose

• Suicide

• Sudden death

A Brief History of Propoxyphene

Darvon was first introduced in 1957.  During its history, it has come under fire by several public safety groups who found that the benefits of taking the medication do not outweigh the risks involved.  The first major event was in 1978 when Public Citizen petitioned the FDA twice for the removal of proxpoxyphone products from the market.   In 2004, propoxyphone was banned in the United Kingdom.  Europe followed suite, banning the drug nearly 1 ½ years ago.   In January 2009, and FDA advisory panel recommended the drug be banned in the US, but no action was taken. 

An Experienced Defective Product Attorney Can Help!

A heart condition can be life-threatening and can drastically change your life. If you or someone you love has been injured due to Darvocet or Darvon, you may have the right to seek compensation for your injuries.  If you have suffered due to recalled Darvocet or Darvon, contact the Southern California defective product lawyers of Lessem & Newstat, LLP today!  

Call us at (800) 295-1054 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation.  We will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve, and strive diligently to protect your legal rights.  

Chelsea's Law and Petty Theft

The general effect of Chelsea's Law, recently signed by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is to increase the penalties for various sex related offenses. An interesting side effect however, is that the bill also amends Penal Code Section 666, the statute governing petty theft with a prior.  Before Chelsea's Law, any individual with a single theft related offense on their record could have a subsequent petty theft charged as a felony. Now, with certain exceptions, three prior theft convictions are necessary for a petty theft to be eligible to be charged as a felony.

Here's the relevant portion of the new statute:

SEC. 15. Section 666 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

666. (a) Notwithstanding Section 490, every person who, having been convicted three or more times of petty theft, grand theft, auto theft under Section 10851 of the Vehicle Code, burglary, carjacking, robbery, or a felony violation of Section 496 and having served a term therefor in any penal institution or having been imprisoned therein as a condition of probation for that offense, is subsequently convicted of petty theft, then the person convicted of that subsequent offense is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison.

This change likely effects 100's if not thousands of individuals currently charged with petty theft with prior cases.  There should be many criminal defendants all across California who should there felonies immediately reduced. Criminal defense attorneys need to be on the look out for these situations, as we all know Judge's and D.A.'s won't be doing it for us.