Pensacola, FL -- (SBWire) -- 03/28/2012 --The law firm of Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor, P.A. are pleased to announce that senior partner Troy Rafferty has been selected as one of the team attorneys to represent plaintiffs in the Actos class action lawsuit. Judge Rebecca Doherty of the United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana announced the appointments on the Western District’s site last week.

"I’m honored to have been selected as an attorney for the Actos PSC," Troy Rafferty said. "We all view such appointments as an opportunity to diligently represent those who have been grievously affected by this medication".

Designed to treat adult-onset diabetes, or diabetes II, the drug began making headlines when it became linked as a cause of bladder cancer. Actos was suspended in the European market and the FDA issued warnings against the drug summer of 2011 at the conclusion of a 10-year study. The study showed that Actos users had a 40% higher chance of getting bladder cancers compared to non-users.

Actos lawsuits were consolidated into a multidistrict lawsuit (MDL) December of 2011.

Under the MDL, all Actos lawsuits will be tried under one court by one federal judge.

The team of Actos litigation attorneys will work to prove that Takeda Pharmaceuticals failed to adequately warn people of the full spectrum of the drug’s side effects, more specifically that of bladder cancer.

About Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor, P.A.
The law firm of Levin Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor, P.A. has over 25 years of experience in medical malpractice, personal injury, wrongful death, and prescription drug litigation. The firm has received more than 75 jury verdicts in the amount of $1 million or more, including 12 jury verdicts in excess of $10 million, and two in excess of $450 million. Additionally, the firm's total settlements have exceeded $1 billion. The firm was recognized by the National Law Journal’s 2002 edition as the fourth most successful law firm in America based on total jury verdicts.

In addition to Actos litigation, the firm has devoted their resources on recent Fosamax, Zoloft and DePuy hip recall lawsuits.