Law Topics >  Injuries > Liver & Gallbladder Disorders

The liver and gallbladder are connected, yet they perform different functions. The liver is responsible for monitoring and regulating chemical levels in the body; producing blood-clotting chemicals; manufacturing cholesterol; and converting digested substances into carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The liver also breaks down harmful substances created in other parts of the body or absorbed by the intestine, and turns them into a harmless chemical called bile. The gallbladder's only function is storing bile. The chemicals broken down in bile are absorbed by the intestine and excreted from the body in feces.

The use of some prescription and over-the-counter drugs has been shown to impair the liver's ability to perform, causing liver disease symptoms.