What is Depakote?

Depakote is a prescription medication that was first introduced into the market in 1983 and was used primarily to treat epilepsy until 1995 when it was approved to treat manic episodes associated with manic depression or bi-polar disorder. After showing promising success at treating manic depression additional uses for Depakote began to be explored. Over the next several years Depakote began to be prescribed for migraine headaches and additional neuropathy related conditions.

Dangers of Depakote

Although Depakote had shown significant promise in treating multiple disorders, before long complaints related to the use of Depakote began to surface. Some side effects can be expected from the use of powerful medications like Depakote; however, the issues cited by some Depakote users were far more serious than the mild side effects outlined in the drug’s labeling.

Most notably, women who used Depakote during pregnancy began to show extremely high rates of serious birth defects, like spina bifida, in their children.

Birth Defects and Depakote

The use of Depakote during pregnancy has been shown to cause harm to the fetus, often resulting in serious irreversible birth defects. Birth defects seen in children of mothers who have taken Depakote during pregnancy most commonly result from a neural tube defect; however, other malformations have also been seen.

Neural tube defects occur when the embryonic neural tube fails to close completely. Serious defects like spina bifida and anencephaly are both results of neural tube defects.

Depakote Lawsuits and Legal Representation

The Depakote lawyers at Reich & Binstock LLP have a proven track record of success in helping our clients obtain compensation for injuries resulting from the use of dangerous medications like Depakote.

Our experienced team of legal professionals and Depakote lawyers has been helping injury victims for over 25 years. We believe that through hard work and dedication to our clients we can assure our clients that justice will be served.

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of taking Depakote we can help. Please contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our Depakote attorneys.