In the last few years, Ozempic prescriptions have skyrocketed as consumers have begun using the drug for its weight loss benefits. The medication is now the subject of more than a dozen product liability lawsuits in the U.S., which may soon become a multidistrict litigation. Plaintiffs claim that manufacturer Novo Nordisk failed to warn them about the ever-growing list of Ozempic’s side effects, including gallstones, stomach paralysis, and inflammation of the pancreas. They are now seeking compensation for damages like pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages.
Having a realistic idea of what your Ozempic settlement is worth can help you stay motivated during the personal injury claims process and establish a reasonable family budget while you await your settlement. The product liability attorneys of Dolman Law Group can provide you with an honest evaluation of your damages, as well as a commitment to negotiate for the maximum compensation possible. To schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled Ozempic lawyers, reach out to our team at (727) 451-6900 or complete our online contact form.
How Much Can Plaintiffs Expect to Recover in an Ozempic Lawsuit
Ozempic is a fairly new addition to the market, only having received FDA approval to treat Type II diabetes in December 2017. The Ozempic claims are also quite recent, as a plaintiff filed the first Ozempic stomach paralysis lawsuit in August 2023. Ozempic users are still coming forward with descriptions of previously unadvertised side effects. Given these circumstances, we do not have an exact precedent to rely on to predict what an Ozempic settlement will be worth.
If an Ozempic lawsuit had already been settled, there is still no guarantee that another plaintiff would receive the same amount of compensation, even if they suffered similar injuries. Plaintiffs with more serious injuries typically suffer greater damages in terms of financial hardship, physical harm, and emotional distress, and usually receive larger settlements in accordance with the level of damages they sustained.
At this point, our product liability attorneys estimate that in Ozempic claims where the injured party needed significant medical intervention like gallbladder removal surgery or died from their injuries, plaintiffs could recover between $400,000 and $700,000. We believe this may represent the higher end of the spectrum for settlements. Ozempic plaintiffs with lesser injuries would likely receive settlements scaled down to reflect the more limited scope of their damages. As the Ozempic claims progress, we can develop an idea of what Novo Nordisk is willing to offer and what plaintiffs will be able to negotiate.
Factors That Can Impact Ozempic Settlements
Provided that Ozempic plaintiffs are able to establish that Novo Nordisk owed them a duty of care and breached that duty by failing to warn consumers of all potential side effects, they still have to make a convincing case that the drug caused their injuries. Further, they must show their gastrointestinal issues resulted in damages and that the damages are worth what they have claimed. Ozempic settlements will likely depend on elements like:
- The strength of the evidence clearly connecting Ozempic to a plaintiff’s injuries, and their injuries to their damages
- The severity of the plaintiff’s injuries and the level of treatment required
- The magnitude of their economic and non-economic damages
Seeking Immediate Medical Care for Ozempic Related Health Issues Affects Your Settlement
While it may seem like you have no control over how these conditions influence your Ozempic settlement, that is not entirely true. You may not be able to eliminate all of the confounding variables that weaken your argument that Ozempic caused your injuries and damages, like having a pre-existing condition that affects your gastrointestinal system, but you can take steps to maintain the credibility of your claim. This starts with seeking medical care as soon as possible once you begin experiencing signs of gastrointestinal issues associated with Ozempic.
If you postpone care, that leaves room for doubt about what caused your health issues and how serious they are. Representatives for the defendant may also use this to justify offering a lower settlement. Another way to protect your potential settlement is to make a habit of documenting everything. This includes keeping copies of your medical records and pay stubs, taking notes during conversations with providers, tracking what you spend on transportation to appointments, recording your pain levels, and even journaling about your experience suffering from severe health issues.
What Damages Are Eligible For Compensation in an Ozempic Lawsuit
In personal injury claims, the intention is to restore the plaintiff to where they were prior to being injured by the defendant’s negligence via financial reimbursement. A settlement is meant to reflect the monetary value of a plaintiff’s economic and non-economic damages, which are both considered compensatory in nature. Economic damages are the priority as they represent financial costs to the injured plaintiff.
In the Ozempic lawsuits, non-economic damages are also highly relevant as many plaintiffs endured considerable emotional and intangible losses related to painful gallbladder issues and stomach paralysis. For example, some Ozempic users have reported experiencing ileus, a condition where the patient is unable to orally ingest food because their intestines cannot contract and move food through the digestive system. In addition to the extreme physical discomfort, being forced to eat through a tube can prove inconvenient and distressing. Examples of damages in an Ozempic lawsuit may include:
- Medical bills
- Medication
- Lab tests
- Medical imaging
- Surgery
- Hospital stays
- Lost wages
- Missed promotion
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Wrongful death
It is too early to know if the courts will order Novo Nordisk to pay punitive damages to Ozempic plaintiffs. Punitive damages are typically reserved for cases of gross negligence resulting in significant damages to plaintiffs. If it is revealed that the manufacturer had knowledge of Ozempic’s severe side effects and deliberately concealed it, manipulated internal testing to disguise the medication’s risks from regulators, or otherwise engaged in flagrantly unethical or illegal behavior, there is a higher likelihood that they would be forced to pay punitive damages.
Our Experienced Ozempic Lawyers Offer Unparalleled Legal Support to Injured Clients
The product liability lawyers of Dolman Law Group are award-winning negotiators who specialize in cases involving defective drugs, like Ozempic. Experience in this area of personal injury law is essential to successfully settle an Ozempic lawsuit for fair compensation.
Our capable team can offer you the benefit of our expertise and resources as you pursue a settlement for your damages, as we have done for clients across the country. You can rest assured that our personal injury attorneys will devote our time, effort, and attention to securing an Ozempic settlement that meets your needs and acknowledges your losses.
Contact Dolman Law Group For Help With Your Ozempic Lawsuit
Drug manufacturers like Novo Nordisk are highly motivated to avoid accepting liability for their profitable medications, so Ozempic plaintiffs should expect to encounter strong resistance as they pursue fair settlements. At Dolman Law Group, we are familiar with the tactics drug companies and their insurance carriers use to diminish settlements or undermine claims. We regularly handle product liability claims, with outstanding results.
Our team of seasoned personal injury lawyers will not hesitate to confront the challenging aspects of your Ozempic lawsuit in order to recover the maximum compensation available for your damages. We are also prepared to represent you in the event that the Ozempic lawsuits are consolidated into a multidistrict litigation or if your case goes to trial.
If you believe that you may qualify to file an Ozempic lawsuit, we encourage you to get in touch with our team at (727) 451-6900 or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. A Dolman Law Group product liability attorney will walk you through the process of filing a personal injury claim, explain how you can protect your claim to have the best chance of maximizing your compensation, and provide an estimate of what your Ozempic lawsuit is worth.