Ed Blizzard
Encyclopedia
Edward F. Blizzard is a pharmaceutical injury attorney and a founding partner of Blizzard, McCarthy & Nabers, LLC based in Houston, Texas.
and graduated with honors in 1975. He earned his law degree from Baylor University School of Law
in 1978, where he graduated cum laude and earned induction into the Order of the Barristers
.
, a national litigation firm. In 1981, he founded the firm now named Blizzard, McCarthy & Nabers, a Houston based firm specializing in pharmaceutical and medical litigation.
One of Blizzard's first high profile victories for victims came in 1989 when he represented Lisa (Neat) Kilgore, a victim of the Austin Choker Rapist
, in her landmark case against the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The state of Texas had negligently paroled serial rapist Thomas Earl Grettenberg
prior to his attack on Kilgore. It was the first and only time the state admitted to error and agreed to pay compensation to a crime victim for negligent parole of a criminal. The case was featured on 60 Minutes
and A Current Affair with Maury Povich
.
Blizzard has been at the center of some of the largest pharmaceutical injury verdicts and settlements in the country by taking on some of the world's largest corporations, including Bristol-Myers, Merck
, Pfizer
and Dow Chemical. He has obtained over nine billion dollars in settlements and verdicts and is widely known as an industry expert in mass tort litigation.
In the mid-90's, as counsel to the Tort Claimant’s Committee, Blizzard represented nearly 200,000 women worldwide who were injured or made ill by the silicone breast implants made by Dow Corning
. As a chief negotiator in the landmark settlement, Blizzard won a $3.2 billion dollar settlement for women exposed to Dow Corning silicone, establishing himself as a leader in mass tort litigation.
Blizzard also negotiated major settlements over diet drugs and Ephedra
supplements including products Fen-Phen
and Metabolife
. In 2007, as part of a six member committee, he helped to negotiate a $4.85 billion settlement between Merck
and nearly 27,000 patients who suffered medical problems while taking Vioxx.
For the past several years, Blizzard has been a key member of committees taking on Sulzer Hip Implants, Bayer's
Baycol and Bausch & Lomb's
ReNu With MoistureLoc. His most recent cases center on AstraZeneca's
pyschotropic drug, Seroquel. Over 15,000 patients have sought legal recourse after the company engaged in off label promotion and failed to disclose the drug's medical risks including diabetes, weight gain and high blood sugar.
Blizzard is currently representing dozens of patients in litigation against denture cream manufacturers. The patients developed severe nerve damage and disability from using over the counter denture adhesive containing zinc.
Blizzard's work has garnered widespread media attention from prominent media outlets such as, The New York Times
, The Wall Street Journal
, Bloomberg
and ABC News
. Additionally, he has appeared on A Current Affair with Maury Povich
, CNBC's Squawk Box
and CNN Financial News
.
Education
Blizzard attended the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
and graduated with honors in 1975. He earned his law degree from Baylor University School of Law
Baylor Law School
Founded in 1857, Baylor Law School is the oldest law school in Texas and has been accredited by the American Bar Association since 1931 and a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1938. Baylor Law School is affiliated with Baylor University and located in Waco, Texas...
in 1978, where he graduated cum laude and earned induction into the Order of the Barristers
The Order of Barristers
The Order of Barristers is a United States national honor society whose purpose is the encouragement of oral advocacy and brief writing skills through effective law school oral advocacy programs. The Order of Barristers seeks to improve these programs through interscholastic sharing of ideas,...
.
Legal career
Blizzard began his career with Fulbright & JaworskiFulbright & Jaworski
The international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. is one of the largest law firms in the United States with nearly 1,000 attorneys in over 50 practice areas. The firm was founded in Houston in 1919 by R. C. Fulbright, an attorney working in railway regulation, and J.H. Crooker, a litigator...
, a national litigation firm. In 1981, he founded the firm now named Blizzard, McCarthy & Nabers, a Houston based firm specializing in pharmaceutical and medical litigation.
One of Blizzard's first high profile victories for victims came in 1989 when he represented Lisa (Neat) Kilgore, a victim of the Austin Choker Rapist
Thomas Grettenberg
Thomas Earl Grettenberg was a serial rapist from Texas who attacked and sexually assaulted at least 10 and possibly as many as 24 women in 1977. He was known as the "Austin Choker"....
, in her landmark case against the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The state of Texas had negligently paroled serial rapist Thomas Earl Grettenberg
Thomas Grettenberg
Thomas Earl Grettenberg was a serial rapist from Texas who attacked and sexually assaulted at least 10 and possibly as many as 24 women in 1977. He was known as the "Austin Choker"....
prior to his attack on Kilgore. It was the first and only time the state admitted to error and agreed to pay compensation to a crime victim for negligent parole of a criminal. The case was featured on 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
and A Current Affair with Maury Povich
Maury Povich
Maurice Richard "Maury" Povich is an American TV talk show host who currently hosts his self-titled talk show Maury.-Personal background:...
.
Blizzard has been at the center of some of the largest pharmaceutical injury verdicts and settlements in the country by taking on some of the world's largest corporations, including Bristol-Myers, Merck
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
, Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
and Dow Chemical. He has obtained over nine billion dollars in settlements and verdicts and is widely known as an industry expert in mass tort litigation.
In the mid-90's, as counsel to the Tort Claimant’s Committee, Blizzard represented nearly 200,000 women worldwide who were injured or made ill by the silicone breast implants made by Dow Corning
Dow Corning
Dow Corning is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, USA. Dow Corning specializes in silicon and silicone-based technology, offering more than 7,000 products and services...
. As a chief negotiator in the landmark settlement, Blizzard won a $3.2 billion dollar settlement for women exposed to Dow Corning silicone, establishing himself as a leader in mass tort litigation.
Blizzard also negotiated major settlements over diet drugs and Ephedra
Ephedra
Ephedra refers to the plant Ephedra sinica. E. sinica, known in Chinese as ma huang , has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for 5,000 years for the treatment of asthma and hay fever, as well as for the common cold...
supplements including products Fen-Phen
Fen-phen
The drug combination fenfluramine/phentermine, usually called fen-phen, is an anti-obesity treatment that utilizes two anorectics. Fenfluramine, its S-enantiomer dexfenfluramine, and a few other serotonin agonists were shown to cause potentially fatal pulmonary hypertension and heart valve...
and Metabolife
Metabolife
Metabolife International, Inc., is an multi-level marketing company based in San Diego, California which manufactures dietary supplements. Metabolife's best-selling product, an ephedra-based supplement called Metabolife 356, once generated hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales...
. In 2007, as part of a six member committee, he helped to negotiate a $4.85 billion settlement between Merck
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
and nearly 27,000 patients who suffered medical problems while taking Vioxx.
For the past several years, Blizzard has been a key member of committees taking on Sulzer Hip Implants, Bayer's
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
Baycol and Bausch & Lomb's
Bausch & Lomb
Bausch & Lomb, an American company based in Rochester, New York, is one of the world's leading suppliers of eye health products, such as contact lenses and lens care products today. In addition to this main activity, in recent years the area of medical technology has been developed...
ReNu With MoistureLoc. His most recent cases center on AstraZeneca's
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc is a global pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by revenues and has operations in over 100 countries...
pyschotropic drug, Seroquel. Over 15,000 patients have sought legal recourse after the company engaged in off label promotion and failed to disclose the drug's medical risks including diabetes, weight gain and high blood sugar.
Blizzard is currently representing dozens of patients in litigation against denture cream manufacturers. The patients developed severe nerve damage and disability from using over the counter denture adhesive containing zinc.
Blizzard's work has garnered widespread media attention from prominent media outlets such as, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, Bloomberg
Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg L.P. is an American privately held financial software, media, and data company. Bloomberg makes up one third of the $16 billion global financial data market with estimated revenue of $6.9 billion. Bloomberg L.P...
and ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
. Additionally, he has appeared on A Current Affair with Maury Povich
Maury Povich
Maurice Richard "Maury" Povich is an American TV talk show host who currently hosts his self-titled talk show Maury.-Personal background:...
, CNBC's Squawk Box
Squawk Box
Squawk Box is a business news television program which airs at breakfast time on the CNBC network. The program is currently co-hosted by Joe Kernen, Rebecca Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Since debuting in 1995, the show has spawned a number of versions across CNBC's international channels, many of...
and CNN Financial News
CNNfn
CNNfn was a U.S. cable television news network operated by the CNN subsidiary of the media comglomerate Time Warner from December 29, 1995 and of AOL-Time Warner until December 15, 2004. The network was dedicated to covering financial markets and business news.It was available in a number of...
.