Denture Cream Lawsuit

Denture Cream & Zinc Poisoning

Denture creams, such as the popular brands Fixodent and Super Poligrip, manufactured by Proctor & Gamble (P&G) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) respectively, are powerful adhesives that use zinc to help affix dentures to the gums. The directions for using denture creams are vague and misleading and, therefore, many denture cream users apply a lot more denture cream than is safe to use. The zinc in the denture creams can result in zinc poisoning and copper deficiency, which may also lead to severe neurological and hematological side effects.

Denture Cream side effects may include serious neurological conditions, including neuropathy and nerve damage, as well as hematological (blood) conditions including anemia. The symptoms of these disorders may include paralysis, numbness, tingling and weakness in the legs, arms, feet and hands, and difficulty with walking and balance. Chaffin Luhana’s clients who were poisoned from zinc in denture cream are confined to wheelchairs or must use walkers for mobility. Some are even so badly injured from Super Poligrip and/or Fixodent that their hands resemble claws and they are effectively quadriplegics. Three National News Reports, one on ABC’s World News in 2011 and two on ABC’s Good Morning America in 2009 and 2011, have featured Chaffin Luhana LLP clients who are allegedly victimized by the zinc in Poligrip and/or Fixodent. Go to our Media Center to watch the video of these segments.

Experienced Denture Cream Lawyers

If you think you may have been injured from zinc in denture cream or if you are an attorney seeking to refer a client to an experienced denture cream lawyer, we would be happy to discuss your case with you. We are not looking to simply refer you to another law firm who handles the cases. Rather, we have extensive experience in both screening and litigating the cases and many lawyers and consumers call upon us to review and handle their cases – for good reasons. For example, we started working on the denture cream cases in 2008, long before most attorneys even knew there was a problem with the products, so we are able to quickly and efficiently review cases and know the theories of liability and damages. Indeed, Partner Eric Chaffin was the first (and still only) attorney in the country to appear on a nationally televised segment about denture cream zinc poisoning, which aired on ABC’s Good Morning America in May 2009 and featured our case filings.

Our attorneys remain on the forefront of the denture cream litigation to this day. We are handling Super Poligrip, Fixodent and mixed-use cases for dozens of injured consumers and attorneys across the country from many different states. We also organized the Philadelphia Mass Tort Program for denture cream (which is a very plaintiff-friendly venue in GSK’s backyard) early last year and Partner Eric Chaffin, a former federal prosecutor, is the only lawyer in the country who has been appointed by judges to the leadership structure of both the federal MDL and the state court litigations. Based on our unique leadership position in both courts and our experience at litigating these cases, we believe we are uniquely positioned to navigate your case to a successful resolution.

Further and importantly, unlike many other firms who claim to handle denture cream zinc poisoning cases, our attorneys know the defendants, GSK and P&G, and their counsel (who we see regularly in court and litigate against). We also have reviewed the companies’ documents (and continue to as more productions are made), work with the necessary experts in the area of zinc poisoning and copper deficiency and we are one of a select few law firms that are leading the day-to-day liability discovery depositions. And, before the courts, Eric Chaffin, along with Partner Roopal Luhana who is the Chair of the Law & Briefing Committee in the federal MDL denture cream litigation, are on the forefront of the legal points. Most recently, our firm defeated P&G’s motion to dismiss punitive damages in the Philadelphia litigation, thus allowing consumers to continue with theories of liability that will allow a jury to eventually punish P&G for poisoning consumers.

In short, if you are looking for experienced and compassionate thought leaders and trial lawyers to handle your denture cream case, contact us because we have what you are looking for. We are happy to review your case with you whether you are just learning about the issue or have already obtained copper and zinc testing. You can reach us toll-free at 1-888-316-2311 or email us.

Denture Cream Injuries

Chaffin Luhana already has filed nearly 20 cases alleging that individuals have been poisoned from the zinc in Fixodent and/or Super Poligrip – more than any other firm in the country. Many of these people went years without being diagnosed properly by their doctors because GSK and P&G failed (and continue to fail) to provide warnings to consumers that their denture creams can cause zinc poisoning, copper deficiency, and horrific neurological injuries. While GSK started using a product insert last fall that advised consumers about case reports linking zinc poisoning to Super Poligrip and withdrew Super Poligrip from the market in February 2010, GSK has not recalled Super Poligrip. And, as for P&G, it still does not provide any warning on its product and has not withdrawn it. Therefore, both Super Poligrip and Fixodent are still being used by millions of consumers who do not know that they may be poisoned from the zinc in these products. As the New York Times recently reported, Dr. Peter Hedera, a neurologist at Vanderbilt University who has written one of the leading articles on zinc poisoning from denture cream, stated that he “would withdraw both” Fixodent and Super Poligrip from the market.

If you are a consumer who uses denture cream with zinc, such as Fixodent or Super Poligrip, and you have been diagnosed with or suffer from any of the following symptoms or diseases, you should contact your doctor for evaluation and discuss the results with our experienced lawyers and/or staff:

  • Elevated zinc blood or urine (high zinc)
  • Questionable ALS or MS diagnosis
  • Hematological (blood) disorders such as anemia (usually accompanied by chronic fatigue) or low WBC
  • Neutropenia
  • Leukopenia
  • Paresthesias, marked by numbness, tingling and sharp pains in the arms or legs
  • Dysesthesias, a condition that causes discomfort when affected patients touch something
  • Difficulty walking due to numbness of the feet and a heavy feeling in the legs
  • Copper deficiency, marked by fatigue, paleness, hair loss, anorexia, diarrhea, and dermatitis
  • Low copper ceruloplasmin
  • Neuropathy or myelopathy, causing numbness or tingling in the feet, arms and hands, unexplained pain in the limbs, abnormal blood pressure and heart rate, instability, difficulty walking and balancing, bladder and bowel problems, and sexual dysfunction, among other symptoms
  • Neuropathy
  • Myelopathy

Contact A Denture Cream Lawyer

If you think you or someone you know may have a denture cream lawsuit or you are an attorney seeking to refer or co-counsel a denture cream case with a law firm experienced in the litigation, contact our experienced denture cream attorneys at 1-888-316-2311, or via email, to discuss your legal rights and options. You may qualify to seek a recovery for the physical, emotional and financial losses you’ve incurred as a result of using denture cream.