# Brandon Smith

> Partner at Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC

Based in Atlanta, Georgia. I’m M. Brandon Smith, a partner at Childers, Schlueter & Smith in Atlanta, Georgia, helping injured people nationwide with pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, product liability, and serious personal injury cases.

## Posts

- [FDA Expands Dupixent Use as Questions About Rare Lymphoma Continue](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-expands-dupixent-use-as-questions-about-rare-lymphoma-continue): The FDA has expanded Dupixent's use to additional pediatric patients while continuing to review reports of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Researchers, regulators, and attorneys are closely watching developments involving the widely prescribed medication.
- [Missouri Appeals Court Upholds $495 Million Verdict in Abbott NEC Baby Formula Lawsuit](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/missouri-appeals-court-upholds-495-million-verdict-in-abbott-nec-baby-formula-lawsuit): The appellate ruling rejected key defense arguments from Abbott Laboratories and could influence future NEC baby formula lawsuits involving premature infants and cow’s milk-based formula products.
- [Illinois NEC Baby Formula Trial Ends in $70M Jury Award](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/illinois-nec-baby-formula-trial-ends-in-70m-jury-award): A recent Illinois NEC baby formula verdict is adding to ongoing litigation involving claims that certain preterm formulas increased the risk of NEC in premature infants.
- [MDL 3026 Preterm Infant Formula Litigation Lands in Northern District of Illinois](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/mdl-3026-for-injuries-linked-to-preterm-infant-formulas-assigned-to-northern-district-of-illinois-honorable-rebecca-r-pallmeyer-chief-judge): We are pleased to report that the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) has now created and assigned MDL 3026
- [Defective 3M Combat Earplug Lawsuits Continue, How To Seek Help](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/defective-3m-combat-earplug-lawsuits-continue-how-to-seek-help): Military service members thought they were protecting themselves with 3M Dual-Ended Combat Arms Ear Plugs. Unfortunately, the devices offered no protection when worn as instructed by the company.
- [Weight Loss Drug Belviq Pulled From Market Due to Potential Cancer Risk](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/weight-loss-drug-belviq-pulled-from-market-due-to-potential-cancer-risk): Promising weight-loss drug Belviq has been pulled off the U.S. market due to the potential risk of cancer. At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), drug manufacturer Eisai Inc. has voluntarily withdrawn and discontinued sales of Belviq (lorcaserin). The FDA took…
- [Attorney Ashley Spires Joins The CSS Family](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/attorney-ashley-spires-joins-the-css-family): Childers, Schlueter & Smith is pleased to announce Ashley Spires recently joined our team. Prior to joining the firm, Ashley was a partner with a National civil litigation defense firm where she successfully litigated and tried cases in defense of nurses, doctors, medical practices, product…
- [Hernia Mesh Lawsuits Mounting, But Alternative Hernia Repair Options Remain Widely Unavailable](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/hernia-mesh-lawsuits-mounting-but-alternative-hernia-repair-options-remain-widely-unavailable): Though no longer trending at the top of the news, the devastating consequences of defective hernia mesh continue to impact thousands of people in the United States on a daily basis. Hernia mesh is the net-like medical sheet used in over one million hernia repairs…
- [J&J Rushed Test Results for Asbestos in its Baby Powder](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/jj-rushed-test-results-for-asbestos-in-its-baby-powder): Recently, I blogged about Johnson & Johnson’s Oct. 18 recall of nearly 33,000 bottles of its baby powder, which came alongside a disclosure that a government-funded test detected traces of cancer-causing asbestos particles in a sample of the powder. The contaminated sample came from Baby…
- [More Ranitidine (Zantac) Recalls Issued Over Possible Carcinogen NDMA](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/more-ranitidine-zantac-recalls-issued-over-possible-carcinogen-ndma): On Nov. 4, I blogged about the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) public statement announcing the detection of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in preliminary tests of the heartburn medication ranitidine, which is most often sold under the brand name Zantac. NDMA is a chemical agent categorized as…
- [FDA Ordered Testing Finds Asbestos in Johnson & Johnson Talcum Baby Powder](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-ordered-testing-finds-asbestos-in-johnson-johnson-talcum-baby-powder): On Oct. 19, the FDA announced J&J’s recall of nearly 33,000 bottles of its 22-oz Baby Powder. This came alongside a Johnson & Johnson (J&J) disclosure that a government test detected traces of cancer-causing asbestos particles in a sample of J&J Baby Powder. The recall…
- [Zantac Heartburn Medication Recalled After Detection of Cancer-causing Chemical NDMA](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/zantac-heartburn-medication-recall-cancer-causing-chemical-detected): On Sep. 13, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public statement announcing that low levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) were detected in preliminary tests of the popular heartburn medication ranitidine, which is most often sold under the brand name Zantac. NDMA is a chemical…
- [U.S. Teens Likely to Face Long-term Consequences of Vaping Addiction](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/u-s-teens-likely-to-face-long-term-consequences-of-vaping-addiction): Recently, I have been covering ongoing updates regarding the outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury, or EVALI, as an alarming number of U.S. vape users fall ill. While the illness case count confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was just…
- [EVALI: The Name CDC Clinicians Gave to Deadly Vaping-Related Lung Disease](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/evali-vaping-related-lung-disease): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) ongoing investigation of vaping-related lung disease is expanding by the day, with the number of reported cases and deaths rapidly rising in the U.S. In fact, there have now been 1,299 confirmed vaping-related lung disease cases and…
- [CDC Confirms 8th Vaping-Related Death as 530 Probable Illness Cases are Investigated](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/8th-vaping-related-death-confirmed-530-probable-cases): On Sep. 19, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced the eighth U.S. death linked to vaping-related lung disease as a Missouri man in his forties. This came just four days after California’s Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency announced the seventh death on…
- [Federal Government Moves to Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes Shortly after FDA Issues Warning Letter to JUUL](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/federal-government-moves-to-ban-flavored-e-cigarettes-shortly-after-fda-issues-warning-letter-to-juul): On Sep. 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to JUUL Labs Inc., which dominates the U.S. e-cigarette market with their vaping products. According to the letter, JUUL has been engaging in illegal and deceitful marketing tactics by making unproven…
- [Health, Environmental, and Farmer Groups Call for EPA to Remove Glyphosate Products from U.S. Market](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/health-environmental-and-farmer-groups-call-for-epa-to-remove-glyphosate-products-from-u-s-market): On Sep. 3, 2019 Sixteen (16) health, environmental, farmer, and farmworker organizations released a joint statement calling for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove glyphosate from the U.S. marketplace due to an abundance of evidence linking it to a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin’s
- [New Appeals Court Filing: Lawyers Call for Jury-awarded Punitive Damages to be Upheld in Roundup Cancer Verdict](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/new-appeals-court-filing-lawyers-call-for-jury-awarded-punitive-damages-to-be-upheld-in-roundup-cancer-verdict): On Aug. 10, 2018, a California state jury unanimously found that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused plaintiff Dewayne “Lee” Johnson to develop a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The jury also found that Monsanto failed to appropriately warn Roundup users of thi
- [Stryker Tritanium PL Cage Can Cause Long-term Health Complications in Interbody Fusion Patients](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/stryker-tritanium-pl-cage-can-cause-long-term-health-complications-in-interbody-fusion-patients): Previously, I blogged about the Nov. 28, 2018 recall of Stryker’s Tritanium posterior lumbar (PL) cage. The cage was recalled after reports of cage fractures occurring during and after surgical implantation, putting patients at-risk for a number of medical complications. The surgical technique is b
- [U.S. Judge Plans to Reduce Award in Roundup Cancer Lawsuit](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/u-s-judge-plans-to-reduce-award-in-roundup-cancer-lawsuit): On July 18, 2019 a California judge announced a tentative ruling saying she will reduce the $2 billion award against Bayer AG, which was awarded to a couple who both developed NHL cancer after using Bayer’s glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup on their properties for decades.…
- [Is Bayer Heading Towards a Settlement for Roundup Cancer Lawsuits?](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/is-bayer-heading-towards-a-settlement-for-roundup-cancer-lawsuits): On June 26, Bayer AG announced new steps it is taking to resolve the thousands of lawsuits linked to Monsanto’s glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup. Today there are over 14,000 pending lawsuits against Bayer-owned Monsanto alleging Roundup caused heavily exposed users cancer. More specifically, the
- [Hernia Mesh Medical Complications Continue to Ruin Patients’ Lives](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/hernia-mesh-medical-complications-continue-to-ruin-patients-lives): Previously, I discussed the thousands of lawsuits that have been filed against hernia surgical mesh implant manufacturers such as C.R. Bard, Johnson & Johnson, Atrium and Gore. Hernia mesh is a net-like sheet that is used in over one million hernia repairs in the United…
- [Roundup Verdicts Compensate Victims for Cancer Caused by Glyphosate Exposure](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/roundup-verdicts-compensate-victims-for-cancer-caused-by-glyphosate-exposure): Roundup, which is a product of Bayer-owned Monsanto, is the most popular weed killer in the world. It is used on nearly all cotton, corn, and soy farms in the United States and on individual consumers’ personal properties. Despite the product’s worldwide popularity, however, recent…
- [FDA Issues Warning of Stroke, Death Risk With Non-approved Wingspan Stent Use](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-issues-warning-of-stroke-death-risk-with-non-approved-wingspan-stent-use): The Stryker Wingspan Stent System is designed to open up narrow arteries in the brains of individuals who have experienced repeated strokes. When it is used on patients who do not meet the usage criteria outlined by the FDA, however, it can have life-threatening or…
- [Breaking News: 2nd Pradaxa Verdict For Plaintiff $542,645- Punitive Damage Phase To Come Next](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/breaking-news-2nd-pradaxa-verdict-for-plaintiff-542645-punitive-damage-phase-to-come-next): We are thrilled to report a jury in Hartford, Connecticut just returned a $542,645 compensatory award to our deserving clients: $42,645 for past medical expenses and $500,000 in non-economic/pain and suffering damages. The same jury indicated punitive damages are warranted to punish Boehringer Ingel
- [FDA Hiding Two Decades of Medical Device Injury Reports From the Public](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-hiding-two-decades-of-medical-device-injury-reports-from-the-public): As consumers of modern medicine, we rely on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to inform us of the risks and complications associated with medical drugs and devices on the market. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. A recent Kaiser Health News investigation revealed…
- [$80M Awarded to Man Diagnosed With Cancer After Using Roundup Weed Killer](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/80m-awarded-to-man-diagnosed-with-cancer-after-using-roundup-weed-killer): Recently, a federal jury ordered Monsanto to pay $80 million to 70-year-old Edwin Hardeman, who got diagnosed with cancer after using their weed killer for 26 years. The weed killer in question, Roundup, is a glyphosate-based herbicide that Hardeman regularly used on his 56-acre property…
- [Federal Jury Awards $3M to Woman For Defective Cook Medical IVC Filter](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/federal-jury-awards-3m-to-woman-for-defective-cook-medical-ivc-filter): Recently, a federal jury in Indianapolis awarded $3 million to a woman who had serious medical complications caused by a defective inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. This verdict is noteworthy because it is the first bellwether trial to result in a win for the injured…
- [The Past, Present, and Future of Hernia Mesh Litigation in the U.S.](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/the-past-present-and-future-of-hernia-mesh-litigation-in-the-u-s): Today, many thousands of consumers have filed lawsuits against hernia surgical mesh implant manufacturers. Big name pharmaceutical companies like C.R. Bard, Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon, Atrium and others are the focus in these lawsuits for the debilitating medical side effects that resulted from their
- [An Overview of the Risks Associated With Hernia Surgical Mesh Implants](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/an-overview-of-the-risks-associated-with-hernia-surgical-mesh-implants): Hernia surgical mesh implants are used to reduce hernia recurrence and provide support to tissue that is weakened or damaged because of a hernia. Hernias occur when an organ, intestine, or fatty tissue breaks through the wall of whatever is containing it, and can happen…
- [IVC Filters May Increase Mortality Rate in Patients Over 65](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/ivc-filters-may-increase-mortality-rate-in-patients-over-65): When an elderly individual suffers from a pulmonary embolism (PE), approximately one in six of them receive inferior vena cava (IVC) filters to decrease their risk of having subsequent PE. PE occurs when an artery in the lungs becomes blocked by a blood clot, which…
- [Lawsuits, Side Effects, and Updates on Xarelto Litigation](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/lawsuits-side-effects-and-updates-on-xarelto-litigation): With thousands of reported side effects, the blood thinning drug Xarelto has been controversial since its initial approval for medical use in 2011. Nevertheless, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application on Dec. 14 for Xarelto to be used as a preventative…
- [‘Rhino’ Male Enhancers Tainted with Dangerous, Unlisted Drugs](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/rhino-male-enhancers-tainted-with-dangerous-unlisted-drugs): The FDA recently issued a warning dissuading customers from using Rhino male sexual enhancement products, which are unregulated supplements typically found for sale at gas stations and convenience stores. This warning comes after the discovery that many Rhino supplements contain unlisted ingredients
- [FDA to Replace Current Medical Device Approval System](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-to-replace-current-medical-device-approval-system): The FDA recently announced plans to overhaul its dated medical device approval system. The system, which has been in place since the 1970s, has been criticized for years due to its approval of over 95 percent of medical devices to be put on the U.S.…
- [Valsartan Medication May Be Causing Drug-Induced Angioedema](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/valsartan-medication-may-be-causing-drug-induced-angioedema): In July, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a voluntary recall of multiple medications containing valsartan that were manufactured by the Chinese pharmaceutical company, Zhejiang Huahai. The recall occurred after two likely carcinogenic chemicals, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-Nitr
- [Valsartan Recalled After Testing Positive for Potentially Cancer-Causing Chemicals](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/valsartan-recalled-after-testing-positive-for-potentially-cancer-causing-chemicals): Beginning in July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a series of recalls for multiple medications that contain the drug valsartan after two likely carcinogenic chemicals were found in valsartan batches that had been imported to the United States from China. Often…
- [Hernia Mesh Complications Can Also Cause Mental and Emotional Issues](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/hernia-mesh-complications-can-also-cause-mental-and-emotional-issues): Today, hernia mesh manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson, Atrium, Covidien, and C.R. Bard, Inc., are the target of thousands of lawsuits because of medical complications that occurred after hernia mesh implant surgery. These infections can include extreme pain, infection, recurrence of hernia, org
- [Big Pradaxa Verdict in Favor of Plaintiffs: $1,250,000](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/big-pradaxa-verdict-in-favor-of-plaintiffs): We are happy to report a jury in West Virginia just returned a $250,000 compensatory award to our deserving clients. The same jury awarded $1,000,000 more in punitives to punish Boehringer Ingelheim for their wanton and willful acts in handling its blood thinner Pradaxa. Led…
- [FDA Seeks to Prevent Pharmaceutical Companies from Abusing ‘Orphan Drug’ Law](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-seeks-to-prevent-pharmaceutical-companies-from-abusing-orphan-drug-law): Recently, I discussed a couple of reports that have come to light, potentially exposing the shortcomings of an FDA policy on “fast tracking” the approval of certain new drugs. Now, the FDA is in the middle of a large operation to remedy other policy issues…
- [Could the FDA Be Approving Drugs Based on Questionable Evidence?](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/could-the-fda-be-approving-drugs-based-on-questionable-evidence): Every time you turn on the television, you are most likely bombarded by a barrage of advertisements for prescription drugs. While you might be wary of marketer’s claims and promises as to their effect, you can at least rest assured that all have passed stringent…
- [‘My Skin Was Melting’: One Woman’s Horror Story and the Generic Prescription Drug for Lamictal that Caused It.](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/my-skin-was-melting-one-womans-horror-story-and-the-generic-prescription-drug-for-lamictal-that-caused-it): In 2014, A young woman in Snellville, Georgia visited her doctor with claims of depression. Her physician prescribed lamotrigine, also marketed under the tradename Lamictal, a mood-stabilizing anticonvulsant best known for controlling seizures with those who suffer from epilepsy. While the medicatio
- [Ovarian Cancer Victim Awarded Over $70 Million In Third Jury Trial Over Talcum Powder](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/ovarian-cancer-victim-awarded-over-70-million-in-third-jury-trial-over-talcum-powder): In the third consecutive talcum powder trial, a St. Louis City jury award plaintiff Deborah Giannecchini $2.57 million in compensatory damages and 67.5 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson and the Imerys Talc America defendants for their talc-containing personal hygiene product. Per
- [Invokana and Farxiga Increase Warnings Over Acute Kidney Failure](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/invokana-and-farxiga-increase-warnings-over-acute-kidney-failure): The FDA just released more information on Invokana and Farxiga related to acute kidney failure. A topic and drug Childers, Schlueter & Smith have been investigating for a long time now. Check out our: Top 10 Things Invokana Patients Need To Know… As…
- [Canadian Invokana Lawsuit Seeks $1 Billion in Damages](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/canadian-invokana-lawsuit-seeks-1-billion-in-damages): An Invokana lawsuit filed last year in Canada seeks $1 billion in damages against drug maker Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The lawsuit, filed in September 2015 at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, seeks class-action status, which is expected to be determined within the next six or…
- [Concerns About Safety of Diabetes Drug Invokana Continue to be Raised](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/concerns-about-safety-of-diabetes-drug-invokana-continue-to-be-raised): The diabetes drug Invokana was introduced to the U.S. market in March 2013 and quickly became the go-to type 2 diabetes treatment, although the safety of the medication became a point of contention relatively quickly. In May 2015, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices released…
- [No Morcellation Adverse Events Brought to FDA’s Attention for Eight Years](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/no-morcellation-adverse-events-brought-to-fdas-attention-for-eight-years): Although federal law requires the reporting of adverse events, no reports concerning power morcellators had been received by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prior to December 2013, according to The Cancer Letter. Prior to December 2013, the FDA had received no Medical Device…
- [40 Xarelto Bellwether Cases to be Selected, Says Judge](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/40-xarelto-bellwether-cases-to-be-selected-says-judge): According to a case management order issued by U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon, 40 cases will be chosen for the Xarelto bellwether pool, with each side selecting 10 cases and an additional 20 chosen randomly. According to Judge Fallon’s plan: Half of the cases will…
- [Study Questions Actual Worth of IVC Filters for Trauma Patients](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/study-questions-actual-worth-of-ivc-filters-for-trauma-patients): A medical study published in the October 2015 issue of the Annals of Surgery takes a closer look at whether trauma patients actually benefit from having inferior vena cava (IVC) filters implanted, or instead face a greater risk of life-threatening complications associated with the filters…
- [Most Americans Believe E-Cigarettes are Dangerous to Health, According to Poll](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/most-americans-believe-e-cigarettes-are-dangerous-to-health-according-to-poll): Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have only been around since 2004, too little time for researchers to complete definitive studies on their effects on human health, but Americans polled by STAT and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health believe that the devices are harmful. This…
- [Risperdal Claim Settled for $15.5M in Kentucky](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/risperdal-claim-settled-for-15-5m-in-kentucky): Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson, recently entered into a settlement agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky over allegations surrounding the drug Risperdal. Janssen agreed to: Pay $15.5 million to the state of Kentucky Fully disclose the associated risks of Ris
- [IVC Filter Lawsuit Alleges Failure, Migration of the Device](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/ivc-filter-lawsuit-alleges-failure-migration-of-the-device): IVC filters are inserted through an artery and deployed with spider-like legs designed to both catch blood clots before they find their way to the lung and cause what could potentially be a fatal pulmonary embolism, and to hold the filter in place at the…
- [U.S. News-Best Lawyers Includes Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC As A Tier 1 “Best Law Firm”](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/u-s-news-best-lawyers-includes-childers-schlueter-smith-llc-as-a-tier-1-best-law-firm): U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers, for the sixth consecutive year, announced the “Best Law Firms” rankings for 2016. Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC is pleased to announce it has been selected and recognized for inclusion into these rankings as a Tier 1…
- [Bard G2 IVC Filter Complaint Filed in Georgia](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/bard-g2-ivc-filter-complaint-filed-in-georgia): A new complaint filed by Mr. and Mrs. Duffie of Georgia joins more than two dozen Bard G2 IVC filter lawsuits that have been centralized for pretrial proceedings before Arizona U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell. Atlanta injury law firm Childers, Schlueter & Smith LLC,…
- [FDA Strengthens Warning on Invokana Labeling](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-strengthens-warning-on-invokana-labeling): The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently revised its May 2015 warning to now include an increased risk of bone fractures and decreased bone mineral density. Bone mineral density relates to the strength of a person’s bones. The original FDA warning stated that SGLT2…
- [New Study Highlights Perforation Risk of Cook Celect IVC Filters](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/new-study-highlights-perforation-risk-of-cook-celect-ivc-filters): Researchers from the University of Colorado and Northwestern University recently compared the retrievability factor of the Cook Celect IVC filter to the Reed Option filter and found that although retrieval figures between the two were similar, the perforation rate for the Cook Celect filter measured
- [Reversal of Fortune: Traffic Fatalities on the Rise in Georgia](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/reversal-of-fortune-traffic-fatalities-on-the-rise-in-georgia): Over the past decade, Georgia had been experiencing a decline in traffic fatalities each year. But bucking a nine-year trend, the state of Georgia saw an increase in the number of people killed in car accidents this past year, and officials think distracted driving is…
- [IVC Filters Found to Cause Deadly Complications](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/ivc-filters-found-to-cause-deadly-complications): The IVC (inferior vena cava) filter is a spider-like medical device used to filter blood clots and prevent them from reaching a patient’s lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism, which could mean permanent lung damage or even death. Despite the advantages of IVC filters, they…
- [Bill to Improve Safety Monitoring of Medical Devices Passes House](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/bill-to-improve-safety-monitoring-of-medical-devices-passes-house): A comprehensive medical research bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 10th includes a provision designed to improve the safety monitoring of medical devices. The amendment, proposed by Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.), was inspired by a controversial gynecological device – the…
- [FDA Orders Stronger Warnings for Motrin, Advil, and Aleve](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-orders-stronger-warnings-for-motrin-advil-and-aleve): Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Motrin, Advil, and Aleve can increase the chance of heart attack or stroke as early of the first few weeks of use, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As a result, the FDA announced last week that it…
- [Top 10 Things Invokana Patients Need To Know](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/top-10-things-invokana-patients-need-to-know): Based on the recent updates and a study concerning Invokana* for type II diabetes, there seem to be a lot of questions being asked about its use and whether it is the best option for a particular patient. Although these questions are best presented to…
- [Invokana Lawsuits for Renal Failure And Ketoacidosis Being Explored](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/invokana-lawsuits-for-renal-failure-and-ketoacidosis-being-explored): Potential lawsuits are currently being considered regarding individuals who have experienced kidney or renal failure as the result of taking Invokana*, a new generation diabetes drug that has been linked to renal damage and other kidney problems. What is Invokana? Invokana is part of a…
- [JAMA Study Says Banned Supplements Back on Shelves, Despite FDA Recalls](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/jama-study-says-banned-supplements-back-on-shelves-despite-fda-recalls): A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that although more than two dozen dietary supplements were recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), approximately two-thirds were back on the market a year later, with the same banned…
- [Mesh Implant Litigation Continues](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/mesh-implant-litigation-continues): Transvaginal mesh devices are surgically implanted in women to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The devices are designed to prevent internal organs from coming into contact with each other, but have resulted in numerous complications for patients, including: M
- [Mirena Linked to Development of PTC (Pseudotumor Celebri)](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/mirena-linked-to-development-of-ptc-pseudotumor-celebri): A new study released for the 2015 annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) links Mirena exposure to the development of IIH (idiopathic intracranial hypertension) also known as pseudotumor celebri (PTC). Mirena is a type of long-acting, reversible hormonal in
- [Do You Really Need Low T? (Testosterone Supplements)](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/do-you-really-need-low-t-testosterone-supplements): Prescription medications for low testosterone levels, also known as “Low T” have been heavily advertised to U.S. men in recent years, and as a result, the sale of testosterone replacement treatments have risen substantially during the last 10 years. What is Testosterone? Testosterone is a…
- [Helping Bring Holiday Cheer and Toys To Deserving Children](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/helping-bring-holiday-cheer-and-toys-to-deserving-children): Our firm is proud to be a part of the Boys and Girls Club’s 2014 holiday gift program. We are helping to ensure that 50 children in need receive gifts this Holiday Season. We are also sponsoring two deserving families in need of help. We…
- [Has Purdue Met Its Match? OxyContin Case Goes to Trial in Kentucky](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/has-purdue-met-its-match-oxycontin-case-goes-to-trial-in-kentucky): Purdue, maker of the painkiller OxyContin, has won dismissals in over 400 personal injury lawsuits related to the medication, has settled product liability cases involving the drug without disclosing the terms, and has defeated more than ten class actions suits brought against it over the…
- [Did Takata Know But Fail to Disclose Airbag Problems in 2004?](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/did-takata-know-but-fail-to-disclose-airbag-problems-in-2004): Former Takata employees have charged that the Japanese airbag manufacturer conducted secret tests in 2004 on 50 airbags retrieved from scrapyards, saying that tests were performed after work hours, on weekends, and holidays during the summer of 2004 at the company’s American headquarters in Auburn…
- [Study Questions Potential Healthcare Savings Gained by Tort Reform](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/study-questions-potential-healthcare-savings-gained-by-tort-reform): Although many proponents of tort reform believe that fear of malpractice lawsuits prompts physicians to order unnecessary tests and indirectly drives up medical costs, a Rand Corporation study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine found otherwise. The study analyzed the experienc
- [FDA Announces Import Reforms to Crack Down on Careless Drugmakers](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-announces-import-reforms-to-crack-down-on-careless-drugmakers): The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is unleashing a barrage of quality-control initiatives aimed at overseas drug manufacturing, potentially empowering prosecutors who choose to target those companies with sloppy production techniques. The campaign played a large part in FDA Commissioner Margaret
- [Blood Thinner Xarelto Said To Cause Internal Bleeding](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/blood-thinner-xarelto-said-to-cause-internal-bleeding): Virginia Stuntebeck sued Johnson & Johnson and Bayer AG in Pennsylvania court earlier this year, alleging that she suffered severe internal bleeding stemming from use of the blood-thinning drug Xarelto. In the Xarelto lawsuit, which appears to be the first tort suit filed over the…
- [New Study Results Consistent with Claims Against Stryker Corp. For Failed Hip Implants](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/new-study-results-consistent-with-claims-against-stryker-corp-for-failed-hip-implants): Our personal injury lawyers have been investigating claims on behalf of those that have had revision surgeries as a result of metal hip implant complications since the Stryker Rejuvenate modular-neck stem implant recall nearly two years ago. In July 2012, the Stryker Corporation issued a…
- [Xarelto Among Group of Highly Dangerous Drugs](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/xarelto-among-group-of-highly-dangerous-drugs): Anticoagulants such as Xarelto are considered by many to be among the most dangerous drugs because of the high number of serious side effects that are being reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Xarelto belongs to a class of anticoagulants called direct factor…
- [Xarelto Lawsuits Show Rise In Uncontrolled Bleeding Risks](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/xarelto-lawsuits-show-rise-in-uncontrolled-bleeding-risks): Xarelto, Bayer’s blood thinner formulated to prevent blood clots and lower the risk of stroke, may also cause uncontrolled bleeding that can lead to hospitalization and even death. Xarelto is an anticoagulant developed by Bayer and Johnson & Johnson’s New Jersey-based unit, Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
- [Dangerous Side Effects Linked To Xarelto](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/dangerous-side-effects-linked-to-xarelto): Since the drug Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes blood to pool in the storage chamber of the heart where it can clot and travel to the brain, there have been over 2,100…
- [GranuFlo Lawsuits-A Game Of Hide And Seek](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/granuflo-lawsuits-a-game-of-hide-and-seek): Injured families and families of lost loved ones have filed lawsuits again Fresenius, the German-based manufacturer of GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, chemicals used in dialysis machines to help clean blood. The suits allege that the chemicals sharply increase the risk of cardiopulmonary arrest and sudden
- [NFL Lawsuits and Painkillers-An Alarming Issue](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/nfl-lawsuits-and-painkillers-an-alarming-issue): A group of retired NFL players has filed a lawsuit against the league alleging that teams knowingly and illegally supplied players with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to keep them on the field, and held back information regarding the long-term dangers associated with taking the drugs.…
- [Johnson and Johnson Subsidiary to Pay $5.9M to Settle Risperdal Claim](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/jj-subsidiary-to-pay-5-9m-to-settle-risperdal-claim): A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary recently agreed to pay $5.9 million to resolve a suit brought to the company by Tim Fox, Montana’s attorney general. Fox claimed that the drug company promoted the antipsychotic drug Risperdal as safe despite knowing it may incite serious health…
- [New Risperdal Research Adds Fuel to the Gynecomastia Fire](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/new-risperdal-research-adds-fuel-to-the-gynecomastia-fire): A study presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry concurs with what many young men and boys already know: users of Risperdal may face as much as a 69 percent increased risk of male breast growth, or gynecomastia in…
- [Anti-Seizure Medication Onfi Linked To Life-Threatening Skin Reactions](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/anti-seizure-medication-onfi-linked-to-life-threatening-skin-reactions): Onfi, the brand name version of clobazam, a medication used to treat epileptic seizures, can cause serious skin reactions including Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) according to reports and the FDA. Clobazam is a benzodiazepine medication taken in combination with
- [Stryker Claims Filed On Defective Hip Implants Continue To Increase](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/stryker-claims-filed-on-defective-hip-implants-increase): It’s been almost two years since Stryker Rejuvenate hip implants and ABG II hip stems were recalled. In July 2012, the hip implant company took the product off the market after discovering their high potential of causing fretting and corrosion of the joints. But…
- [Update: Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant Lawsuits Continue To Mount](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/update-stryker-rejuvenate-hip-implants-lawsuits-continue-to-mount): Earlier this year the JPML Court agreed to consolidate all of the federal lawsuits concerning the Rejuvenate and ABG II implants to one Court, with a case list of over 80 law suits, and thousands more expected to follow. As lawsuits surrounding the Stryker Hip…
- [Richard Schlueter Appointed To Stryker Hip Implant Leadership Committee](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/richard-schlueter-appointed-to-stryker-hip-implant-leadership-committee): Breaking News: Judge Donovan W. Frank, presiding over the Stryker Hip Implant MDL in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, ordered the formation of leadership involving a Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC). Richard R. Schlueter of Childers, Schlueter & Smith has been appointed…
- [New Tranvaginal Mesh MDL Created For Coloplast Implants](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/new-tranvaginal-mesh-mdl-created-for-coloplast-implants): Yet another set of transvaginal mesh cases have been consolidated into an MDL, or multidistrict litigation, as the result of an order issued by a federal judicial panel at the beginning of…
- [Update on Actos' Link To Bladder Cancer and Other Related Dangerous Drugs](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/update-on-actos-link-to-bladder-cancer-and-other-related-dangerous-drugs): A leading diabetes treatment drug, Actos, has been the subject of heightened interest recently due to its being implicated in an increased incidence of bladder cancer among patients taking…
- [Update: Actos Cases Linked To Bladder Cancer Set For First MDL Trial](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/update-actos-cases-linked-to-bladder-cancer-set-for-first-mdl-trial): A group of lawsuits that contend the diabetes drug, Actos, carries an increased risk of bladder cancer are set for an initial trial in Louisiana beginning in 2014. In December, the U.S….
- [New MDL Created For Pradaxa Injury Cases](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/new-mdl-created-for-pradaxa-injury-cases): The number of lawsuits involving Pradaxa internal bleeding claims has increased so dramatically that the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created an MDL to…
- [AARP Warns Patients How To Help Prevent Medical Errors and Medical Malpractice In Hospitals](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/aarp-warns-patients-how-to-help-prevent-medical-errors-and-medical-malpractice-in-hospitals): The number of patients that die each year due to preventable hospital errors is equal to four full jumbo jets crashing each week. While hospitals are capable of great medical feats, they are also…
- [MDL 2428 (In re: Fresenius GranuFlo/NaturaLyte Dialysate Products Liability Litigation)](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/mdl-2428-in-re-fresenius-granuflonaturalyte-dialysate-products-liability-litigation): A panel of judges have recently agreed to consolidate all GranuFlo lawsuits, according a press release issued April 1, 2013. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on March 29, 2013…
- [Styker’s Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular-Neck Stem Recall-New Cases Still Being Evaluated](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/stykers-rejuvenate-and-abg-ii-modularneck-stem-recallcases-still-being-evaluated): Many problems have been associated with the faulty Stryker hip implant recall. According the FDA, they have received numerous reports from patients about serious side affects associated with the…
- [Hip Implant Update: The FDA Demands Proof That Metal-On-Metal Hip Devices Are Safe And Effective](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/hip-implant-update-the-fda-seeks-proof-from-industry-that-metalonmetal-devices-already-on-the-market-are-safe-and-effective): For several years as metal-on-metal devices have failed at alarming rates and a question has been repeatedly asked but not yet answered: Is there a lack of a clinical advantage with…
- [DePuy ASR Hip Implant Settlement Amounts Of First 3 Cases Called Into Question](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/depuy-asr-hip-implant-settlement-amounts-of-first-3-cases-called-into-question): It is being reported by Harris Martin that the plaintiffs' involved in the first three DePuy ASR Hip Implant settlement cases that were previously set for trial in Nevada are now disputing…
- [Hip Implant Settlements Reached On First DePuy ASR Patients Set For Jury Trial](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/hip-implant-settlements-reached-on-first-depuy-asr-patients-set-for-jury-trial): The first ever DePuy ASR hip implant cases set for a jury trial in Nevada has recently settled. It was supposed to be the first courtroom battle in the Counrty of patients with the defective…
- [FDA Advisory Panel Meets to Scrutinize the Safety of Metal-On-Metal Hip Implants](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/fda-advisory-panel-meets-to-scrutinize-the-safety-of-metalonmetal-hip-implants): Will the FDA issue guidelines in the treatment and monitoring of patients with this device? Many Physicians and patients that our firm have spoken to consistently talk about the lack of…
- [CBS Atlanta News Examines The Recalled DePuy ASR Hip Implant With Atlanta Attorney Richard Schlueter](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/cbs-atlanta-news-questions-the-depuy-asr-hip-implant-and-the-510k-process): The DePuy ASR hip recall initiated in August of 2010 has been a hot topic of discussion in the medical community over the last year and half. Surprisingly thousands of patients are still unaware…
- [Will Broadspire Pay My DePuy ASR Hip Claim After My Statute of Limitations Expires?](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/will-broadspire-pay-my-depuy-asr-hip-claim-after-my-statute-of-limitations-run): Based on our experiences and conversations, the average client is usually unaware of the level of sophistication a risk management firm such as Broadspire, who has been hired by DePuy…
- [Cancer and The DePuy ASR Hip Systems: Is There A Link And Should Patients Be Concerned?](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/cancer-and-the-depuy-asr-hip-systems-is-there-a-link-and-should-patients-be-concerned): The evidence against metal-on-metal hip implants continues to grow. Late last month, a joint report from the BBC and the British Medical Journal indicated that recipients of large…
- [Should Metal on Metal Hip Implant Devices Be Completely Banned In United States](https://brandonsmith.law/posts/should-metal-on-metal-hip-implant-devices-be-completely-banned-in-united-states): Ever since DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, recalled nearly 93,000 of their ASR metal-on-metal hip implant devices in August of 2010 there has been a near constant…

## Credentials

- **J.D.**: education — issued by University of Georgia School of Law
- **B.A.**: education — issued by University of Georgia
- **Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Georgia**: award — issued by National Trial Lawyers
- **State Bar of Georgia**: bar — issued by State Bar of Georgia
- **State Bar of Pennsylvania**: bar — issued by Pennsylvania Bar Association
- **State Bar of West Virginia**: bar — issued by West Virginia State Bar
- **Federal courts**: bar — Georgia Supreme Court · Court of Appeals · 11th Circuit Court of Appeals · U.S. District Courts: Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia; Southern District of West Virginia.
- **Leading Pharmaceutical Litigator of the Year, Georgia**: award
- **Plaintiff Steering Committee, Ability MDL 2734**: award
- **American Association for Justice (Board of Governors)**: membership — issued by American Association for Justice
- **Mass Torts Trial Lawyers Association**: membership — issued by Mass Torts Trial Lawyers Association
- **Southern Trial Lawyers Association**: membership — issued by Southern Trial Lawyers Association
- **Georgia Trial Lawyers Association**: membership — issued by Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
- [Partner](https://cssfirm.com/team/brandon-smith/): employment — issued by Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC — Practice devoted to pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, product liability, and serious personal injury.
- **Best Lawyers®**: award — issued by Best Lawyers
- **Georgia Super Lawyer**: award — issued by Super Lawyers
- **Melvin M. Belli Society**: membership — issued by Melvin M. Belli Society

## Notes

- [https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/counselor-to-counselor-an-open-letter-to-ky…](https://brandonsmith.law/notes/bc4bb06d-9b51-4423-b4ff-7e0b047cb08c)
- [https://www.facebook.com/share/1E4gfhWXbQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr](https://brandonsmith.law/notes/7c51f0f9-3133-4c60-b33b-9cb7d35ae4ad)
- [https://www.levernews.com/uber-wants-immunity-survivors-want-justice/?action=sub…](https://brandonsmith.law/notes/4d60cb6b-fd60-4392-b2e7-ff024cc0844c)
- [https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/it-took-sick-babies-to-get-here-now-pass-th…](https://brandonsmith.law/notes/081360b5-8842-4478-8161-b107b59f8617)
- [@nick has been telling me this for months, and now there's data behind it.…](https://brandonsmith.law/notes/43c58d4a-9011-4645-9850-722bf5a72400)
- [The more you know... https://www.atlanta-injury-attorney-blog.com/your-new-car-i…](https://brandonsmith.law/notes/84c6ae03-7620-4d72-b481-f68e4db48791)

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