Actos (pioglitazone) is manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals and is a drug normally prescribed for the treatment of Type II diabetes. On June 16, 2011, the FDA issued a new warning citing increased risk of bladder cancer in patients taking Actos for more than a year. In September, 2011 the FDA began a safety review of Actos after initial data from the manufacturers ongoing study indicated that the drug may increase the risk of bladder cancer. Two European countries have already banned the use of the drug.

If you or someone you know suffered from bladder cancer while using Actos, contact Law Offices of Gary Green toll free at 1-888-4GARYGREEN or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gadolinium is an FDA approved contrast agent for MRI and MRA. Gadolinium provides greater contrast between normal tissue and abnormal tissue in the brain and body. It looks clear like water and is non-radioactive. After it is injected into a vein, Gadolinium accumulates in the abnormal tissue that may be affecting the body or head. Gadolinium causes these abnormal areas to become very bright (enhanced) on the MRI. This makes it very easy to see. Gadolinium is then rapidly cleared from the body by the kidneys.

On May 23, 2007—The FDA announced that it is asking manufacturers of gadolinium-based contrast agents to include a black box warning alerting patients to the risk of a potentially fatal disease NSF (Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis) or NFD (Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy).

It is a condition which involves hardening of the skin, resulting in varying degrees of immobility, can damage internal organs, and is sometimes fatal. It appears to affect only those persons with impaired renal function caused by kidney disease. NSF / NFD is resistant to treatment and can be very painful and debilitating. Most importantly, NSF / NFD is entirely preventable.

The following gadolinium-based agents are implicated by the warning:

• Magnevist (gadopentetate dimeglumine)
• Omniscan (gadodiamide)
• OptiMARK (gadoversetamide)
• MultiHance (gadobenate dimeglumine)
• ProHance (gadoteridol)

The FDA has been aware of problems with gadolinium since at least June 2006, when the agency warned healthcare professionals about the risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. A subsequent warning was issued in December 2006.

If you experience any of the symptoms of NSF / NFD after MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiogram), you should seek immediate medical attention and get tested for the disease. Symptoms include:

• Tightening and swelling of the skin, typically starting with the legs, moving to the arms, and sometimes the trunk
• Thickening of the skin around the joints, restricting movement
• Skin which feels “woody” and has a texture similar to that of an orange peel
• Red or dark patches of skin
• Burning, itching, and/or sharp pains in affected areas
• Fluctuating hypertension preceding the appearance of skin lesions
• Symmetrical skin lesions, commonly on the ankles and thighs and between the wrists and upper arms
• Muscle weakness
• Deep bone pain in the hips and ribs
• Calcification of soft tissues
• Yellow plaques near the eyes

If you have kidney disease or impaired renal function you should always question having a MRI / MRA with contrast to make sure the contrast being used is not one of the ones listed above. When asked if you are allergic to any medications you should say "Yes, Gadolinium!"

Currently, there are federal lawsuits pending in the United States against the drug manufacturers: Bayer Healthcare, Bracco, GE Healthcare and Mallinckrodt due to the possibility that they have not properly informed patients and doctors regarding the dangerous side effects of these drugs.

Over 250 federal lawsuits have been consolidated in a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) in the Northern District of Ohio, and at least another 104 cases have been filed in various state courts. The purpose of the MDL is to prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings, avoid duplicity and serve the convenience of the parties, witnesses and the Court. Under the MDL rules, if the cases do not settle or resolve during pretrial, they will be returned to the court in which they were filed.

Attorneys representing persons suffering from NSF have been pushing for aggressive scheduling deadlines to move the cases quickly to trial or settlement, as most of the people are very sick and many may not survive a lengthy trial.

If you have been diagnosed with NSF or NFD you should contact Law Offices of Gary Green toll free at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss your legal options without obligation.

We understand that issues that arise within a family that need to be settled through the legal system can be exasperating and even traumatic. We represent those who need legal services for divorce and child custody. We treat each case with the delicacy and respect that our clients deserve and distinguish ourselves by seeking solutions best suited to the needs of our clients.

Divorce happens, and when it does, we will be there to help. We will represent you through the trial court level for a flat fee of $700.00 exclusive of costs if the matter truly is uncontested and for a flat fee of $5000.00, exclusive of costs, if contested. To us contested means formal discovery is filed by either party or custody of minor children is sought by formal pleading by both parties. We can only offer this service in the counties in which we have offices or the counties contiguous to those counties.

If you have questions or need additional information, call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

There are too many motor vehicle wrecks where adults are unscathed but infants, restrained in child safety seats, are seriously injured. Child safety seat changes and auto industry changes to the way those seats are installed do not yet correspond. There are hundreds of injuries every year from child restraint systems that are negligently manufactured or installed in cars not designed to safely accept them.

A recent survey found that 80% of child restraint systems are installed incorrectly, not by fault of the parents! There are now seven major types of seatbelts that should correspond with all the countless child-seat designs, but they do not. Many seatbelt systems now require special modifications to ensure safety. Most specifications for seat belt/child restraint systems' safety go back to when bench seats were used, and the seat belt anchors were located at the rear of the seat bight (the crack in the seat). Seat belt anchors in today's cars are rarely behind the seat bight, and more commonly are located on a stalk or otherwise situated significantly forward of the bight.

The manufacturers of these products have known for years that their products do not fit in many cars and have failed to take responsibility to prevent children from being injured or killed by their unsafe products. It has been established since the early 1980s that seat belt anchors in front of the seat bight create a compatibility problem between child restraints and automobiles. In addition, child restraint system manufacturers typically do not warn about which autos their products are not compatible.

There have been some tremendous strides made in the last few years in fixing this long-standing compatibility problem between child restraints and automobiles. For example, child restraints made after September 1998 requires certain safety features that were not previously mandatory, such as

• A lower anchorage system that can be clipped into anchors in automobiles
• Securing the child restraint system at the bottom tightly against the seat without using the automobile's seat belt
• Reducing the child restraint system's head excursion limit by 3 1/2 inches.

All child restraint systems manufacturers complied by installing a tether on the top of the restraint that hooks to the back of the auto seat. But, the attachment hardware to hook up these new child restraint systems features in vehicles has been phased in. And, it is only just this year that new car models are required to have a lower anchorage attachment and an attachment to secure a child restraint tether on top.

In the meantime, there will be many years to come of injuries to children from child restraints in automobiles manufactured earlier. The manufacturers are leaving the old restraints on the market and not recalling them for their failure to comply with current safety standards!

If your child was injured or killed in a child restraint that you believe was used properly, there is a good chance that you are not to blame, and that the product itself is primarily to blame for what happened. Call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Qui Tam is an abbreviation for a Latin phrase qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hoc parte sequitur meaning who sues on behalf of the king as well as for himself. Qui tam is a writ under the Federal Civil False Claims Act that allows a private citizen with knowledge of past or present fraud committed against the U.S. federal government to sue on its behalf. This provision allows a private person, known as a relator, to file suit in the name of the U.S. Government, charging fraud by government contractors and other entities that receive or use government funds, and share any money recovered. The relator need not have been personally harmed by the defendant's conduct.

A qui tam relator files a complaint, under seal, in a U.S. District Court that has jurisdiction over the case. Along with the complaint, the relator must also file a written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information the person possesses. The primary purpose for the written disclosure is to provide the government with enough information to properly investigate the claim to determine if it will join in the lawsuit. Qui tam has been, and continues to be, a very effective and successful tool in combating government procurement and program fraud and recovering revenue lost because of the fraud.

If you believe you have evidence of wrongdoing that falls into one of the categories described in these pages, e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us at (501) 224-7400, or toll free at 1-888-442-7947 to learn more about your rights. The consultation is free, and we are paid only if a recovery is obtained.

Stockbroker fraud or negligence can include misrepresenting stocks or risks, recommending unsuitable stocks, charging excessive transaction fees, or failing to diversify an investor's portfolio. It is a stockbroker's responsibility to consider their client's best interest in all investment transactions.

Most investors have little time to properly research the myriad of entities whose securities trade each day. As such, the majority of investors leave that task to stockbrokers and financial planners. Unfortunately, some of those investors end up wishing they had done their homework themselves.

The overwhelming majority of investment professionals are honest, hard working individuals. Nevertheless, each day stockbrokers are accused of cheating their clients. The increase in security-related lawsuits over the last two decades is startling.

It seems that almost daily we hear national news stories about investors losing substantial amounts of money in their investment portfolios. Unfortunately, many of the losses are attributable to securities fraud.

Often, victims of investment fraud have lost a significant portion of their life savings and we understand it may be impossible to recover. As a result, victims of stockbroker and investment fraud deserve strong and effective representation.

If you have lost more than $200,000 out of pocket in your broker managed investment account, and suspect fraud or mismanagement, it may be important to contact an attorney who can help you protect your legal rights. Please contact Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation to discuss your legal options regarding stock and securities fraud at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please keep in mind that there may be time limits within which you must commence suit.

Business litigation deals with the legal problems arising from commercial and business relationships including litigation of controversies arising from those relationships. Business and commercial litigation law includes evaluating, handling, and resolving such controversies before state courts, federal courts, administrative agencies, mediators, and arbitrators.

We offer percentage and hybrid fees to help finance the cost of business litigation. To submit or discuss a particular situation please contact Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

If you are the owner of land locked property, need an access easement and negotiations have failed, contact us for litigation services.

Generally, one cannot be denied reasonable access. Reasonable access usually includes a roadway and utility access. We've got experience!

If you have questions about easements or need additional information, call Law Offices of Gary Green today toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Incorporation and a limited liability company are both ways to attempt to avoid personal liability by creating a separate legal entity that is recognized as a person under the law. A limited liability company (LLC) is a legal form of business offering limited liability to its owners. It is similar to a corporation and is often a more flexible form of ownership, especially suitable for smaller companies with a limited number of owners.

If you choose to limit liability in this way, it is important to remember that the mere fact of incorporating the business or forming the limited liability company is not enough. You must hold out for the world to see that they are dealing with a separate entity and cannot reasonably expect personal liability from the owners of the business. In this regard, the name of the business should always show the limited designation when the name is displayed, e.g., on signage, stationery, business cards, etc. In addition, when signing for the company the signer should always have a title following the signature, e.g. John Doe, President. In case the corporate or limited veil is pierced, liability insurance is always recommended to a business owner.

The main difference we find between corporations and limited liability companies is the record keeping requirements. A corporation can have its corporate veil pierced for not keeping corporate records, while a limited liability company is not expected to keep much in the way of records beyond its annual franchise tax requirement and income tax reporting requirements.

Corporate records should be kept of all major transactions and updated at least annually. These record keeping requirements are statutory and are not as stringently found in the later-year statutes, which allow the creation of LLCs. LLCs pass all income directly to the members, with no lower taxation applicable to the LLC entity.

While limiting liability is probably the most important reason for forming a small company, tax treatment is also a consideration. Companies are usually taxed at a lower rate than a high-income individual is and corporations sometimes can elect a fiscal year end other than the calendar year while LLCs cannot elect a year end other than the end of the calendar year.

Without giving tax or securities advice, our fee for incorporating a small business or forming a limited liability company in any state in which we have an office is $500.00 plus costs. Costs include filing fees at the Secretary of State's office, initial franchise taxes, and the cost of a corporate record book. Costs vary from state to state but usually do not exceed $200.00.

Contact the attorney manager of Law Offices of Gary Green in the state in which you reside for this service or for any questions or additional information contact us toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Toxic tort cases are complex litigation cases that seek recourse for a person injured by hazardous materials and chemicals. In the United States, toxic materials are found in the air, water, food, work place, and even at home. Harmful substances include lead paint, pharmaceutical drugs, toxic mold, pesticides, chemicals and asbestos.

Many people come in contact with toxic materials by occupational exposure or pharmaceutical drugs. Because of the abundance of toxic materials in our country, there is a serious risk of exposure that can lead to injury, disease, and death. Victims of a personal injury caused by exposure to a toxic substance may seek recourse for serious injuries.

Additionally, these cases often result in a class action law suit, because toxic exposure usually affects more than one person.

If you or a loved one has had an injury or illness due to a toxic substance, we may be able to help. If you have any questions or need additional information, call us toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .