Depo-Provera Case FAQs

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Best Lawyer and American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Attorney, is Committed to Protecting the Rights of Depo-Provera Injury Victims Across New York State. If You, or a Loved One, Have Been Injured By an Injectable Contraceptive, Our Experienced Team of Attorneys Could Help You Collect the Evidence You Need to Obtain a Fair Settlement.

Depo-Provera is an injectable birth control medication that has been on the market for more than 50 years.

Although it is generally considered both safe and effective, recently published research indicates that taking Depo-Provera and other medroxyprogesterone acetate-containing drugs could increase patients’ long-term risk of conditions like meningioma, a type of central nervous system tumor that can sometimes cause brain cancer.

You do not have to accept a life-altering diagnosis without support. If you have developed meningioma or another serious medical condition after taking Depo-Provera, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you assert your right to recovery. Recognized as a U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, we know what it takes to obtain the evidence needed to negotiate a settlement or secure a court-ordered award—and we have the results to prove it.

Please send us a message online or call us at 716-839-3939 to speak to a Depo-Provera injury lawyer near you and to schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Depo-Provera is a contraceptive medication sold by Pfizer.

Unlike most other types of birth control, Depo-Provera is administered as an injection. Most women who are prescribed Depo-Provera receive shots every three to four months. These shots protect against pregnancy for up to 14 weeks at a time.

Depo-Provera is a brand name for medroxyprogesterone acetate.

All injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate-containing contraceptives contain progestin, a laboratory-made hormone that mimics the effects of naturally occurring progestogen.

Depo-Provera and similar medications suppress ovulation by:

1. Interrupting and suppressing ovulation;
2. Preventing the body from releasing eggs; and
3. Thickening the cervical mucus, makes it more difficult for sperm to reach and interact with eggs.

In general, injectable contraceptives like Depo-Provera are administered during your menstrual period and offer near-immediate protection from pregnancy.

Depo-Provera is not inherently dangerous, but it is not safe for all women.

Doctors will not usually prescribe medroxyprogesterone acetate to patients who have histories of:

1. Unexplained vaginal bleeding;
2. Breast cancer;
3. Liver disease;
4. Osteoporosis; and
5. Certain cardiac conditions, including a history of heart attacks or stroke.

Even if you do not have any of these risk factors, Depo-Provera can lead to other side effects. These side effects include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Abdominal pain;
2. Bloating and constipation;
3. Depression;
4. Headaches;
5. Weakness and fatigue; and
6. Unexpected or unwanted weight gain.

In rare cases, prolonged or extended use of Depo-Provera can significantly increase your long-term risk for developing certain types of tumors, including tumors in your central nervous system and, potentially, tumors in or around your breasts.

A recent study published in the medical journal BMJ found that the “prolonged use of medrogestone, medroxyprogesterone acetate [the active ingredient in Depo-Provera], and promegestone was found to be associated with an increased risk of meningioma.”

Meningiomas are a type of tumor that can form in the meninges, the three layers of protective membrane around the brain and the spinal cord. Most meningiomas are benign, meaning they are not cancerous and will not spread to other areas of the body.

If your doctor diagnoses you with a meningioma, they may assign the tumor any one of the following three grades:

1. Grade 1 meningiomas are the most common types of meningiomas. These are classified as “low-grade tumors” and typically grow very slowly. They are often responsive to treatment.
2. Grade 2 meningiomas are “mid-grade tumors” that may regrow after being surgically removed or otherwise treated.
3. Grade 3 meningiomas, or “anaplastic meningiomas,” are fast-growing tumors. They are almost always cancerous and are more resistant to conventional treatment than lower-grade meningiomas.

Every type of meningioma can form in almost any part of the central nervous system, including in the membranes around the brain.

The intensity of meningioma-related symptoms can vary with the size and location of a tumor.

Common symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Headaches;
2. Seizures;
3. Blurred vision, or difficulty seeing;
4. Weakness in your arms or your legs;
5. Numbness;
6. Loss of balance;
7. Hearing loss; and
8. Memory loss.

However, meningiomas are not always symptomatic. In other words, even if you have a tumor, it may not cause noticeable discomfort or prompt any apparent symptoms. Unfortunately, this does not mean that benign or low-grade meningiomas can be ignored, as more serious symptoms can and often do emerge over time.

Every pharmaceutical company has an obligation to design, manufacture, and market their products responsibly. If a drug is associated with serious side effects, these side effects must be communicated to patients. Warnings can take any of the following forms:

1. A verbal warning from your doctor;
2. A verbal warning from your pharmacist;
3. A written warning is provided with your prescription.

Pfizer, and companies that sell generic versions of medroxyprogesterone acetate, may be liable for medication-related complications that were not adequately explained to patients.

Depending on the facts of your claim, and the severity of your injury, you could be entitled to file a product liability lawsuit for injuries like a meningioma.

In a legal context, the term “damages” describes compensation for certain types of loss, suffering, and hardship. Damages typically fall into the following categories:

1. Economic damages: Your economic damages, or “special damages,” are verifiable financial losses caused by an injury. These damages could include compensation for your outstanding medical expenses, the costs of anticipated care, or the income you have lost from work while receiving treatment.
2. Noneconomic damages: Your noneconomic damages, or “general damages,” are intangible forms of hardship caused by an injury. These damages could include compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment.
3. Punitive damages: Punitive damages do not compensate for financial loss or emotional hardship. Instead, they are levied against especially negligent defendants as a form of punishment. Punitive damages could be available in a product liability lawsuit if, during an investigation or discovery, your lawyer uncovers evidence indicating that the manufacturer knew of a potential side-effect yet deliberately refrained from warning consumers.

Unlike many other states, New York does not limit damages in most product liability lawsuits and defective drug claims.

Pfizer is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.

If you have been injured by Depo-Provera, you should not have to pay out-of-pocket for your losses—but you must be prepared to overcome every defense and strategy that a multibillion-dollar company can afford.

You do not have to take chances with your recovery.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent decades helping our clients across New York assert their rights after being injured by medication. Our experienced team of product liability lawyers knows what it takes to investigate a claim, even against the biggest corporations in the world.

And we have the results to prove it.

Since our founding in 2005, we have successfully obtained more than $175 million in damages for our clients. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 716-839-3939 to speak to a product liability lawyer near you and schedule your 100% free consultation as soon as possible.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 716-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in New York State. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!