The Lowe Law Firm Files Suit over Gadolinium Contrast Dye

St. Louis-based The Lowe Law Firm has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a woman who developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis after receiving injections of gadolinium-based contrast agents.

The suit, Crabtree v. General Electric Co., GE Healthcare AS, GE Healthcare Inc. and Mallinckrodt Inc., cause no. 0922-CC09486, was filed in St. Louis Circuit Court on Oct. 21.

The plaintiff suffers from renal disease and in 1999 she underwent a kidney transplant that failed. On Feb. 4, 2005, magnetic resonance arteriography/angiography was performed, and the patient was injected with Omniscan, a dye containing the heavy metal gadolinium that is manufactured by Fairfax, Conn.-based General Electric (NYSE: GE) and its subsidiaries.

On Sept. 8, 2005, and March 9, 2006, the plaintiff underwent further MRAs and each time was injected with Optimark, another dye containing gadolinium, made by St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt. On July 13, 2006, magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and the plaintiff was again injected with Optimark.

In the wake of these imaging studies, hard plaques of skin and other skin lesions began forming, as did fibrosis and contractures of the plaintiff’s hands, feet, arms and legs. On Oct. 18, 2007, the plaintiff was given a diagnosis of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy), which is both incurable, debilitating, and usually fatal.

Gadolinium is highly toxic and patients with renal insufficiency have difficulty clearing the dye from their system. NSF was identified in 1997 and was linked to the injection of gadolinium-based dyes in patients with renal insufficiency.

The lawsuit alleges that GE and Mallinckrodt are strictly liable for the patient’s injury because they defectively designed the contrast agents and knowingly failed to warn consumers about the health risks. The suit also alleges that the products were negligently designed and that the companies negligently and fraudulently represented to patients that they were safe. The plaintiff seeks actual and punitive damages.

The Lowe Law Firm and Carey & Danis, L.L.C. represent the plaintiff.

Jeff Lowe noted “Eight years before my client received the gadolinium contrast agents, it was known that they weren’t appropriate for patients with kidney disease. Her condition was absolutely avoidable.”

The Lowe Law Firm, and the Law Firm of Carey and Danis based in St. Louis, handle personal injury, medical malpractice, pharmaceutical liability, product liability and commercial cases throughout the United States.