You may loosely understand that the Food and Drug Administration is supposed to approve all drugs before they reach you. However, you may wonder what that really means and entails.

How a drug finds its way to you

Pharmaceutical company scientists begin by coming up with a drug compound they believe will help with a particular condition. Companies conduct the first level of testing on animals in order to determine whether the drug is toxic, effective and safe. Thereafter, human trials may begin, but only after receiving approval to do so from the FDA. Below is an outline of the process:

• The drug's creator submits an Investigational New Drug application to the FDA that includes information the drug's composition, results of initial testing and a plan for human testing, among other things.
• The FDA reviews the application to determine whether the human subjects face any unreasonable risk of harm, receive certain protections and submit an informed consent to participate in the clinical trials.
• During the first phase of the clinical trials, scientists attempt to identify how the human body metabolizes and excretes the drug and what common side effects occur. These tests often involve anywhere from 20 to 80 healthy individuals and focuses on safety.
• The second phase usually involves hundreds of people who suffer from a particular condition. The goal is to determine whether the new drug works as a treatment when compared to another group receiving a placebo, with scientists evaluating short-term side effects, along with safety.
• The third phase involves thousands of people taking different dosages and using the drug in combination with other medications.
• The process then moves from an investigational application to a new drug application, but before submitting the application, a meeting occurs to review all of the findings obtained from the creation process through the clinical trials.
• The FDA has up to 60 days to file a new drug application. Once filed, it goes into review status during which reviewers evaluate it for effectiveness and safety.
• The FDA then reviews the drug's labeling and takes steps to make sure that medical professionals and consumers receive all of the appropriate information regarding the drug.
• The FDA then inspects the manufacturing facility.

If everything meets the expectations of the FDA reviewers, then the FDA approves the drug for release into the market.

How a drug still ends up causing harm

You might think that with all of the seemingly rigorous testing and reviewing that a drug goes through that there is no way a dangerous or defective drug could make its way to you. Unfortunately, many drugs slip through the cracks, make it to the market and cause a significant amount of damage and harm to patients like you.

Many drugs are recalled, but the recalls and other warnings often fail to get to you before any harm is done. If you suffered harm from a defective or dangerous drug, you may be entitled to compensation through a product liability claim.

If you are attending a major event, it is important to watch out for reckless and erratic drivers. Even if you drive very responsibly, a collision could happen because of someone else’s lack of familiarity with the city or negligent behavior. Events can also lead to an increase in the number of drunk and intoxicated drivers. For example, an accident may happen following a music festival which involves a driver who was under the influence of drugs.

If you were hit by someone during a popular event, or at any time, it is important for you to know your legal rights. If you have sustained serious injuries and are struggling to recover, there may be a number of helpful options on the table for you. Unfortunately, negligent drivers will continue to cause motor vehicle crashes which completely derail the lives of innocent drivers and passengers in the coming months and years.

Some drivers may not realize that their brakes need to be repaired and they continue driving around until they find themselves in a crash. Others may know that their brakes need to be addressed but they fail to take action because they cannot afford to replace the brakes or they think they are too busy or procrastinate. However, the consequences that can arise from a crash caused by faulty brakes can be very serious, including devastating injuries and the loss of life, and it is paramount for drivers to address any maintenance issues at once. In some instances, a manufacturer may be responsible for defective brakes or a body shop may not repair brakes properly.

Regardless of the reasons why some drivers fail to maintain their vehicles properly, there is no excuse when these problems result in a serious crash that either claims innocent lives or leaves victims with significant injuries. If you were hit by a driver who should not have been operating a vehicle with faulty brakes, you may want to look at your legal options.

Sometimes, motorcycle wrecks take place because a motorcyclist is under the influence. When a motorcyclist is intoxicated, they may struggle to operate their motorcycle safely and cause a crash. However, motorcyclists also have to watch out for drunk drivers, who may have an especially difficult time watching out for those on motorcycles. Sadly, the summer months bring many fatal motorcycle collisions, especially those which are caused by driving under the influence.

From the Fourth of July to Labor Day, there are a number of holidays that can be especially dangerous for motorcyclists due to an increase in drunk driving and other factors. It is always important to be aware of the risks you face and identify the best course of action if you are ever directly involved in a crash. Visit the injury part of our website and you will be able to delve deeper into some different issues that may apply to injured motorcyclists.

As an older adult, a motor vehicle crash could be especially dangerous from a physical standpoint. Many people pass away when they are involved in motor vehicle collision and you may suffer a wide variety of injuries that can make daily life difficult. Moreover, it can be incredibly tough to recover from these injuries, from brain trauma to broken bones and deep lacerations. Car accidents can be tough for victims of all ages, but the consequences of these accidents can be especially challenging for older adults, in some instances.

Not only can accidents be very upsetting in terms of the loss of life and injuries, but the emotional toll can be overwhelming as well. A victim may struggle with depression or anxiety as a result of a crash. Furthermore, the financial toll of motor vehicle wrecks should not be ignored—hospital costs, funeral expenses, physical therapy, etc.

If you were struck by someone who caused an accident because of their negligent behavior, you should know what your legal rights are and consider your different options. You may even decide to file suit as a result of the motor vehicle collision.

When a car accident ends in the tragic death of a driver or passenger, there is typically an investigation into the reason for the crash and the cause of the victim's death. It is not always surprising when a motorist dies from injuries related to the collision, but it may be a shock to learn that safety features, such as a seatbelt or airbag, caused injuries or contributed to the death of a driver or passenger.

Ways an airbag can fail

Airbags have become particularly newsworthy, and you may have heard of the massive recalls related to defective parts in Takata airbags. Some of these airbags exploded, sometimes for no apparent reason, propelling metal shards like bullets into drivers and passengers. Many lawsuits and class action claims resulted from the accidents and injuries these defective airbags caused.

However, there are other ways in which an airbag can cause damage if it does not function properly, for example:

• Inflating too soon, which fails to protect you at the moment of impact
• Failing to deflate, which may result in your head being bounced back against the seat
• Burning your skin, which results from the chemicals used in the deployment process
• Failing to inflate at all, which may be a defect in the sensors or the deployment system

When collision sensors indicate a crash is imminent, your airbags should inflate quickly with an instantaneous chemical reaction that fills the bag with gas. The bag then deflates more slowly to cushion your head and prevent whiplash. It is a complex procedure with each element depending on the success of the previous step. Failure in one component can mean catastrophic injuries to the face and head, neck and spine, chest, and internal organs.

Like many who have suffered injuries or lost loved ones in tragic motor vehicle accidents, you may have many questions, and you deserve answers to those questions. If an investigation into your accident reveals that a defective airbag failed to do its job and contributed or caused the death of your loved one or the injuries you now suffer, you have the right to seek legal counsel.

For some single parents, daily life can be particularly challenging for a variety of reasons. Aside from the daily stressors that come with raising a child, other issues may be making life tough, such as problems with your child’s other parent. With all of the stress and anxiety that some single parents face, a car accident may be more likely. Moreover, some single parents suffer from sleep deprivation or have incredibly busy schedules, making an accident more likely.

Following an accident, a single parent may not be able to drive their child to school or keep working, which can be devastating for a single-income household. If another driver’s behavior has caused you to suffer any of these consequences, or other difficulties, you may look into filing a lawsuit. Sadly, motor vehicle collisions brought on by negligent behavior such as speeding, distracted driving and intoxication have made life very hard for many single parents and their kids.

Our car crash injury section goes over other topics that are intertwined with motor vehicle wreck injuries.

When some people visit another part of the country or state they live in, they may be more likely to cause an accident for various reasons. Aside from lacking familiarity with the roads, they might be tired and stressed out due to their trip. Moreover, distracted driving may be a concern when they are trying to read a map, talk with someone else in the car, or use a GPS. In fact, people may find themselves in motor vehicle accidents while visiting another country. For example, someone who has never driven in a different country may be unable to read the local language or be completely oblivious to certain traffic laws.

There are many different consequences associated with motor vehicle crashes. Aside from injuries and death, people often face financial difficulties (such as missing out on work, hospital expenses, etc.) and even emotional trauma following a collision. For a closer look at topics related to auto accident injuries, have a look at our serious personal injuries page.

People ride their bicycle for long distances for many different reasons. For example, many bicyclists may compete in a competition which involves biking for miles and miles, while others may ride by themselves for an extended period of time in order to prepare for a competition or get exercise. Moreover, a bicyclist may be on the road for hours because they do not have a vehicle or access to public transportation and need to get somewhere.

Regardless, those who spend a lengthy amount of time on their bike may become fatigued and have more difficulty concentrating, which can be very problematic if they are riding near traffic. Moreover, there are many reckless drivers and bicyclists are especially vulnerable when they are hit by someone who is drunk or going over the speed limit. Recovering from a bike accident can be very hard and many lives have been lost as well.

A report that was recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the number of injury-related fatalities among people between the ages of 10 and 19 years old has increased in recent years. A number of causes were identified by the CDC, such as suicide and homicide, but motor vehicle accidents were one of the leading causes of death for people in this age group. Moreover, the total death rate for those between 10 and 19 years old went up 12 percent between 2013 through 2016.

Sadly, more young lives will be lost to motor vehicle collisions in the years ahead. There are a number of ways that parents might be able to help their teen avoid passing away in a collision, from warning about the dangers of intoxicated driving to seat belt use. However, even the most responsible young driver may find themselves in a crash because of someone else’s behavior. Sadly, many parents have already lost their child and it can be very upsetting to know that the carelessness of someone else caused the tragedy. For parents in this position, all legal options should be examined.