Quetglas Law Office is a specialized law firm which devotes most of its practice to federal litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
The firm was founded in 1987, by Jose F. Quetglas Alvarez (R.I.P.), and their sons, Jose and Eric Quetglas Jordan.
The firm's offices are located at #1021 Ashford Ave., 2nd Floor, Condado, PR, 00908, beachfront, in one of the Island's main tourist and hotels area.
The firm devotes most of its federal practice, through its partners, to the handling of plaintiffs civil personal injury and complex litigation cases. Both partners also devote part of their practice to federal criminal cases.
In the federal civil area, the firm has successfully handled cases in motor vehicle collisions, premise liability, product liability, mass tort, class actions, civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (ARICO) claims, and police brutality.
In the federal criminal area, the firms( partners have successfully handled drug and white collar crime cases.
El 28 de abril de 2008 Actavis Totowa LLC (Actavis) notific— el recogido de todas las tabletas del medicamento Digitek, una droga usada para tratar paro card’aco y ritmos anormales del coraz—n. Esto se debe a que estas tabletas pueden contener el doble del nivel aprobado de su ingrediente activo creando un riesgo de toxicidad que puede causar fallo renal, n‡usea, v—mitos, vŽrtigos, baja presi—n arterial, inestabilidad cardiaca, bradicardia y muerte.
Toda persona que haya tomado Digitek y sufrido alguno de estos s’ntomas o da–os podr’a tener derecho a reclamar para obtener compensaci—n en contra de Actavis.
Para mayor informaci—n o participar en la reclamaci—n comun’quese con nuestras Oficinas.
Friday April, 18, 2008: San Juan, Puerto Rico: Plaintiffs' Counsel Eric and Jose Quetglas filed today a complaint on behalf of a group of Puerto Rico patients requesting FIFTY SIX MIILION DOLLARS ($56,000,000.00) in compensation for personal injuries caused by the intake of contaminated Heparin.
Heparin is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) used in a variety of medical settings, to prevent and treat blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli.
On January 17, 2008, Baxter began recalling lots of Heparin (in multi dose vials) due to serious adverse effects reported which include: severe allergic type reactions, shortness of breath, throat swelling, sweating, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, severe decreased blood pressure, chest pain, loss of consciousness, tachycardia and death.
Heparin is made from pig intestines and more than half of the world's Heparin ingredients come from China.
Baxter is engaged in manufacturing, marketing, promoting, selling and/or distributing Heparin at or from facilities around the world and in Jayuya, Aibonito, Maricao, San German, Guayama, Cata–o and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
On March 19, 2008, the FDA reported that it had found a contaminant in Heparin obtained from the Chinese plant used by Baxter to manufacture its Heparin ingredients. The contaminant is an inexpensive, unapproved ingredient, altered to mimic Heparin.
Upon recent news it was learned that the contaminated materials came from unacceptable, unregulated and unsanitary Chinese workshop vendors used by Baxter's contractors in the Heparin manufacture.
It was further learned that contrary to Baxter's misrepresentations its contractors' Chinese manufacturing plants lack adequate quality control procedures and are not approved by either the US or Chinese Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
As a result, during the past years Baxter has been selling contaminated Heparin, which contaminants have been recently linked to the serious adverse effects described above.
Attorney Eric Quetglas explained: ÒThis is another example of the serious injuries caused to consumers by American Corporations that acquire their goods from cheap Chinese manufacturing plants that lack adequate quality control procedures and are not approved by the FDA.Ó
The complaint alleges that already at least five (5) persons have died in Puerto Rico as a direct result of the contaminated Heparin product, and many other have suffered serious life threatening adverse allergic reactions.
Attorney Eric Quetglas further explained: ÒAny person who was taken the Heparin product and has suffered any of the listed adverse effects may have a valid claim for personal injuries against Baxter.Ó
Tuesday, May, 6, 2008: San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Plaintiffs' Counsel Eric and Jose Quetglas of the Quetglas Law Office in Condado, Puerto Rico, together with Archie Lamb of the Lamb Firm in Birmingham, Alabama and Joe Whatley of Whatley Drake and Kallas of New York, New York, filed today on behalf of Puerto Rico merchants an anti-trust class action suit against the Puerto Rico maritime cargo companies. The lawsuit demands treble damages for unlawful transport price over-charges and various surcharges. The litigation focuses on the anti-competitive pricing practices of the companies that control shipping to and from the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The named Plaintiff is La Esperanza Bus Line, which has shipped passenger buses to Puerto Rico from the United States using the ocean freight services of Sea Star and Crowley Liner.
On or around April 17, 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice executed search warrants and/or subpoenas as part of an ongoing criminal investigation that involved HORIZON LINES, INC.; HORIZON LINES, LLC; SEA STAR LINE, LLC; TRAILER BRIDGE, INC.; CROWLEY MARITIME CORPORATION; and CROWLEY LINER SERVICES, INC.
An independent civil investigation has uncovered that the conduct of the Companies that are the object of the Federal criminal investigation pertains to violations of the Federal Anti-trust Laws. These violations give rise to both criminal and civil actions against these Companies.
Pursuant to Federal Law, these Companies have obtained the exclusive privilege to engage, through U.S. owned vessels, in maritime shipment of merchandise to or from U.S. territories, possessions, or non contiguous States.
Federal Law restriction on the carriage of domestic maritime cargo, combined with the relatively small size of trade routes, results in a market where only a very small number of carriers serve any route. Because of this restriction on competition, trade routes are subject to regulation concerning the potential excessiveness of their rates.
HORIZON LINES, INC.; HORIZON LINES, LLC; SEA STAR LINE, LLC; TRAILER BRIDGE, INC.; CROWLEY MARITIME CORPORATION; and CROWLEY LINER SERVICES, INC. have the control of this market in all routes between Puerto Rico and any State or Territory of the US.
These Companies collectively generate over $750 million in revenue each year for shipping containers to and from Puerto Rico.
In the class action the Puerto Rico merchants allege that since at least April 22, 2004, these Companies have engaged in a continuing unlawful agreement and conspiracy in restraint of trade, to restrict competition, allocate customers, restrict capacity, fix, stabilize, maintain and raise transport charges, and charge unlawful surcharges for fuel adjustment and other items. Activities that are all in violation of the Federal Anti-trust Laws.
The class action is being filed on behalf of any person who after April 21, 2004, purchased maritime cargo transportation between Puerto Rico and any State or Territory of the U.S. from HORIZON LINES, INC.; HORIZON LINES, LLC; SEA STAR LINE, LLC; TRAILER BRIDGE, INC.; CROWLEY MARITIME CORPORATION; and CROWLEY LINER SERVICES, INC.
The net effect of these illegal artificially inflated transportation charges and unlawful surcharges is reflected in higher end prices in almost all products purchased in the Puerto Rico market.
Attorney Eric Quetglas stated that Òit is very sad and frustrating for the Puerto Rico consumers, who are already burdened by the huge price increases seen in Puerto Rico during these past four years in almost all products, to learn that to a great extent these price increases are due to the illegal conduct of these maritime transporter Companies.Ó
ÒThe alleged actions of these companies have resulted in increased prices of shipments made by our clients and increased cost of all goods for consumers throughout the islandÓ noted local counsel Eric Quetglas.
The class action requests that all class members be reimbursed the treble amount of the unlawful over charges and surcharges paid by them to these Companies during the past four years.
The requested compensation amount to be distributed among the Puerto Rico merchants may exceed HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS because most products enter the Puerto Rico market by sea through these Companies.
The lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico and seeks to represent all similarly situated class members. A jury trial in Puerto Rico is requested by the complaint.
Attorney Eric Quetglas noted that Òthis appears to be the largest class action suit ever filed in Puerto Rico.Ó
February 14, 2008: San Juan, Puerto Rico: PlaintiffsÕ Counsel Eric and Jose Quetglas filed today twenty eight (28) consolidated complaints on behalf of forty nine (49) Puerto Rico claimants requesting ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR ($100,000,000.00) compensation for personal injuries already sustained such as arthrosclerosis, artery blockage, myocardial infarction and/or cerebral vascular strokes caused by the intake of the defective prescription drug Vytorin¨. The consolidated actions were filed under the name of James Cumba, Et. Al. v. Merck & Co., Inc., Et. Al..
The Puerto Rico Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila has been charged in eighteen of a twenty seven Counts Federal Indictment to be the first acting
Governor charged by the US Government. It is charged that he conspired with twelve other individuals in a fraudulent scheme to: make and receive
political contributions in excess of those allowed by Federal Law to cover the debt in excess of .5 million for his campaign for Resident Commissioner
at the US House of Representatives and other ongoing campaigns; to use the wires and mails in a scheme to defraud the Treasury Department and
the Electoral Commission of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (PR) to obtain campaign financing from the Treasury Department in the amount of 7
million in excess of the one allowed by Law; to obtain federal program moneys through fraud; to defraud the IRS; and to file false US Income Tax
Returns. It is further alleged that the scheme was carried out by: using other persons as conduits to make contributions in excess of the maximums
allowed by Federal and PR Law; using corporations to make prohibited contributions through individual conduits; and using persons and corporations
to make and receive "collaborator" contributions by which the unreported contributions were directly paid to campaign creditors to cover campaign
debts and to third parties to cover certain Governor's travel and personal expenses.
February 14, 2008: San Juan, Puerto Rico: PlaintiffsÕ Counsel Eric and Jose Quetglas filed today twenty eight (28) consolidated complaints on behalf of forty nine (49) Puerto Rico claimants requesting ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR ($100,000,000.00) compensation for personal injuries already sustained such as arthrosclerosis, artery blockage, myocardial infarction and/or cerebral vascular strokes caused by the intake of the defective prescription drug Vytorin¨. The consolidated actions were filed under the name of James Cumba, Et. Al. v. Merck & Co., Inc., Et. Al..
Attorney Eric Quetglas announced that he has been honored by being selected Moderator at the upcoming Persuasion and Storytelling in Trial Conference sponsored by the AAJ Convention, to be held at the Conquistador Hotel, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
The Themes and Speakers at the Conference are:
Why Storytelling Is So Important to Persuasion - Thomas D. Penfield
Cross-Examination-Homicide or Suicide? - Roxanne Barton Conlin
Scripting the Opening Statement and Playing the Part - James R. Holland II
Arming Your Jurors in Closing - David Ball, Ph.D.
January 22, 2008: San Juan, Puerto Rico: Eric and Jose Quetglas of the Quetglas Law Firm in Condado, Puerto Rico, filed today a lawsuit before the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, under the name of
Alexis Alicea Figueroa, Et. Al. v. Merck & Co., Inc., Et. Al., a nationwide class action lawsuit requesting one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000.00) for economic compensatory damages against Merck & Co., Inc., and Schering-Plough Corp.
for their purchase and consumption of defective Vytorin medication.
On December 21, 2007, the Court issued an Order in the case of Samuel Hildenbrand, et al. v. W Holding Company, Inc., et al., 07-1886 (JAG), appointing the law firms of Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP and Whatley Drake & Kallas LLC as Lead Counsel and Eric Quetglas from Quetglas Law Office and Andres W. Lopez as Liaison Counsel.
Whatley Drake & Kallas LLC is working in this case in joint partnership with Eric Quetglas from Quetglas Law Office and Archie Lamb from the Lamb Firm, L.L.C.
Local counsel Eric Quetglas stated that he will be attending on January 30, 2008, a Hearing before Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, to request and argue that all actions filed and to be filed nationwide against Medtronic should be transferred to be consolidated for pre trial proceedings before the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Plaintiffs' Counsel Eric Quetglas and Jose Quetglas: Two New Lawsuits on Behalf of Consumers to Seek Damages and Medical Monitoring for Personal Injuries Caused by Defective Defibrillator Parts
Friday December 7, 2007: San Juan, Puerto Rico: Eric Quetglas and Jose Quetglas of the Quetglas Law Firm in Condado, Puerto Rico announced today their filing of two new lawsuits before the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico against Medtronic, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, Medtronic Puerto Rico, Inc., and Medtronic Puerto Rico Operations, both Puerto Rico Corporations (jointly referred to as Medtronic).
On October 15, 2007, Medtronic Inc. had notified that it suspended sales of the Sprint Fidelis line of "leads", a component to its heart devices known as defibrillators, which are wires placed on heart muscles and attached to a defibrillator, or an implanted electrical device designed to maintain appropriate heart rhythm.
Medtronic admitted that it was withdrawing the product from the market because most likely it had contributed to five patient deaths and other heart related complications. About 268,000 of these leads have been implanted worldwide. The leads are defective because they have the potential for fracture. The lead fractures may cause "inappropriate shocks and/or loss of output."
Patients with the defective leads complain of uncontrolled heart arrhythmias, pulse changes, electric shocks, cardiovascular health complications, repeated surgical procedures, heart failure. As a direct result thereof, these patients complain of high anxiety, fears of imminent death, and depression. Several patients have already died as a result of the use of the defective defibrillator.
The case filed under the name of Fernando Ortiz Gomez v. Medtronic, Inc., et. al. is a Class Action. This action is being filed on behalf of all patients who have been implanted with Sprint Fidelis leads marketed by Medtronic under the following model numbers:
A. the 6949 LFJ extendable/retractable screw fixation (S) model,
B. the 6948 LFH tuned fixation (T) model,
C. the 6931 LFT S fixation, and,
D. the 6930 LFK T fixation.
The Plaintiff and Class Members allege they have sustained, or are in the imminent risk of sustaining uncontrolled heart arrhythmias, pulse changes, electric shocks, cardiovascular health complications, repeated surgical procedures, heart failure, and death.
This risk of death requires frequent diagnostic medical examinations. By monitoring and testing the affected devices and leads implanted in Plaintiff and Class Members it can be determined whether they are prone to short-circuiting at the time of the test. Through such frequent testing, lives can be saved.
In the Class Action Complaint Plaintiff and Class Members request compensatory relief including contract resolution, medical monitoring, and reimbursement of past and future medical costs and expenses.
It is believed that there are 6,000 heart patients affected in the United States who can benefit from this class action lawsuit. Medtronic generates revenues of about $12.3 billion worldwide.
The case filed under the name of Juan Orta Rodriguez v. Medtronic, Inc., et. al. is a personal injury lawsuit where additional patients claim monetary compensation individually for the physical and emotional damages caused by the defective defibrillator which include among other heart arrhythmias, pulse changes, electric shocks, cardiovascular health complications, repeated surgical procedures, heart failure, and the imminent risk of death.
Local counsel Eric Quetglas stated that with these two new cases their Office is already handling three civil actions before the District Court of Puerto Rico where they represent seventy seven (77) injured Medtronic patients plus their spouses and Conjugal Partnerships for a total of one hundred and twenty four (124) parties. Quetglas informed that with these new actions there are now fourteen 14 civil actions already pending before the District Court of Puerto Rico against Medtronic which involve two hundred forty one (241) claimants.
Eric Quetglas informed that due to the large number of injured patients in Puerto Rico he is filing today a Petition with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation requesting that all actions filed and to be filed nationwide against Medtronic be transferred to be consolidated for pre trial proceedings before the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Quetglas said that this District has not had a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) since the Dupont fire on the year 1986 while most other US States District Courts have handled and continue to handle numerous MDL litigations.
In his Petition to the Judicial Panel, Quetglas alleges that the Medtronic Litigation shall be transferred to the District of Puerto Rico because:
A. It is the District favored by most of parties and where most of the actions are pending.
B. It is a conveniently central and accessible metropolitan location for all actions with sufficient accommodations.
C. It has a low case load.
D. It possesses at least five of the most technologically advanced courtrooms within the federal judiciary.
E. It operates with the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) System.
F. It has competent staff personnel, law clerks, and sufficient physical space and facilities which are more than adequate to handle the Medtronic case filings volume and to accommodate the number of parties involved.
G. It is highly efficient in the management of its caseloads and since the year 2006 it has newly appointed Judges and Magistrates to further efficiently expedite case management and termination.
H. Honorable Gustavo A. Gelpi is very capable and is willing and eager to handle this complex litigation.
I. It is not currently handling any MDL litigation.
J. And, the cases consolidated before the District of Puerto Rico are already in a management track for efficient pretrial proceedings.
In Quetglas' opinion there is a very good probability that the Puerto Rican claimants can obtain that all nationwide Medtronic cases are transferred to the Puerto Rico District.
Additional information and copies of the Complaint are available from the Contacts noted above.
Birmingham AL and Condado Puerto Rico -- Nationally recognized class action attorneys Archie Lamb and Puerto Rico attorney Eric Quetglas announced today the combined firms participation in the nationwide settlement agreement with pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Inc. The settlement should resolve at least 85% of the personal injury lawsuits in the U.S. And Puerto Rico over Vioxx use.
"This was a positive result for all concerned and will have an impact on many injured victims," noted Lamb. "We are please for all of our injured victims in Puerto Rico," concluded Quetglas.
The settlement with Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck marks the end of a series of legal battles that began after the company withdrew Vioxx from store shelves in September 2004. Vioxx was pulled from the market after a study revealed that users of the drug were more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes than people using other pain medications.
November 1, 2007: On October 2, 2007, a class action complaint was filed in the United Status District Court for the District of Puerto Rico in the case of Saavedra v. W Holding Company, Inc., Westernbank Puerto Rico, to obtain economic compensation for the loses sustained by those persons who purchased Westernbank (WHI) shares within the period of April 24, 2006 and up to June 26, 2007. Any person or entity that purchased a substantial amount of Westernbank (WHI) shares within the period of April 24, 2006 and up to June 26, 2007, should file a petition to act as representative plaintiff. To file a claim or to obtain additional information please contact us.
November 1, 2007: A joint Federal and State MDL Conference was held in New York on October 2, 2007, to discuss the joint coordination of both Federal and State discovery proceedings and the selection of initial cases for trial. Attorney Eric Quetglas was present at the Conference as member of the Federal Plaintiffs Steering Committee and on behalf of the Puerto Rico claimants. At the Conference certain discovery issues were argued and discovery and initial trial schedules were proposed so that the cases can be ready for trial by the later half of the next year. In the meantime, all claimants should continue to obtain any medical treatment that their eye condition may require, and to gather copies of the medical records pertaining to all treatments received or to be received due to the use of the defective RENU product.
November 1, 2007: On September 27, 2007, the Federal Court in charge of MDL proceedings issued Pretrial Order #27, by which it stated that the PSC had been assigned the responsibility for the active oversight and administration of the MDL 1657 docket from the plaintiffs' perspective. Recognizing the nature of the PSC's functions, the Court had imposed upon it the duties to conduct discovery in a coordinated and consolidated matter on behalf and for the benefit of all plaintiffs, to explore and develop settlement options, and to maintain adequate files of all pretrial matters, including the maintenance of a document or exhibit depository available under reasonable terms and conditions for examination by all MDL plaintiffs' attorneys. Commensurate with its other duties, the PSC also was called upon by the Court to produce and develop a Òtrial packageÓ to assist plaintiffs in the preparation and presentation of trials which the Court may order (including those that have already and may be sent to this MDL, those cases that may be remanded to their transferor courts for trial, as well as those state cases that may be coordinated with this MDL). The Court notified that the PSC had compiled and prepared a trial package for its review. Once approved, this Trial Package will be available to all participating attorneys to be used in the litigation of their cases once they are remanded to the originating forum for trial proceedings. For additional information regarding this matter please contact us.
November 1, 2007: On October 15, 2007, Medtronic Inc. had notified that it suspended sales of the Sprint Fidelis line of 'leads', a component to its heart devices known as defibrillators, which are wires placed on heart muscles and attached to a defibrillator, or an implanted electrical device designed to maintain appropriate heart rhythm. Medtronic had admitted that it was withdrawing the product from the market because most likely it had contributed to five patient deaths and other heart related complications.
After the filing of several lawsuits against it for damages caused by it defective devices, on October 22, 2007, Medtronic issued a communication to Medtronic Heart Device Patients where it admits that the chance of fractures in particular locations on the Sprint Fidelis Leads extends to its Models 6930,6931,6948,6949.
The product defect has been linked to cause uncontrolled heart arrhythmias, pulse changes, electric shocks, cardiovascular health complications, repeated surgical procedures, heart failure, and death.
If you or any person you know has a Medtronic Inc.'s Sprint Fidelis line of 'leads', he or she may also have the right to file a claim for damages against Medtronic Inc. to obtain money compensation for any past or future physical, mental or emotional damages sustained or to be sustained as a result of the defective product. To file a claim or to obtain additional information please contact us.
Class action filed alleges violations of federal securities laws by W Holding Company, INC. (WHI), Westerbank Puerto Rico and certain of its officers and/or directors. The class action was commenced in the Unted States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico on behalf of purchasers of W Holding securities between April 24, 2006 and June 26, 2007, (the "Class Period").
If you purchased W Holding securities between April 24, 2006 and June 26, 2007, you may qualify to serve as a lead plaintiff in this action of if you have any information regarding this case that you would like to make available, please contact us at quetglaslaw@hotmail.com.
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