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LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION

SJS TEN Personal Injury Lawsuit Brings $63 Million Award


This is a settlement for the SJS, Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuit.

Boston, MA: Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and its subsidiary, McNeil-PPC Inc, have been ordered to pay a $63 million award to a teenager who suffered toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a late stage of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), as a result of taking Motrin brand ibuprofen. The personal injury lawsuit was brought in 2007. The trial, which took just five weeks, ended with the jury awarding Samantha Reckis $50 million in compensatory damages and $6.5 million to each of her parents.

Just seven-years old at the time, Samantha was given Motrin brand ibuprofen by her parents, and suffered a rare side effect known as toxic epidermal necrolysis which caused her to lose 90 percent of her skin and become blind. She also suffered brain damage involving her short-term memory, and surgeons had to drill through her skull to relieve some pressure on the brain, the Reckis' attorney noted. Samantha also suffered damage to her respiratory system, in which her lungs were burnt, leaving her with only 20 percent lung capacity.

Samantha had taken Motrin previously with no side effects. However, in 2003, the day after Thanksgiving, her parents began giving her the medication to reduce fever. The resulting toxic epidermal necrolysis, which can be fatal, causing inflammation of the mucus membranes and eyes and is marked by a rash that burns off the outer layer of skin, had her physicians puzzled. Samantha suffered inflammation of her throat, mouth, eyes, esophagus, intestinal tract, respiratory system and reproductive system. Her doctors were forced to put her in a medically induced coma.

The family filed the lawsuit claiming that Samantha was blinded by Motrin and alleging that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers that the drug could cause life-threatening reactions. Samantha is now 16-years old.

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Published on Feb-14-13


READER COMMENTS

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No child should have to go through what my child went through at the age of 9.Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis is deadly disease that my daughter survived barely.#onlyGodknows#Lawyers tell me I cant sue Tylenol cause they changed teir labels back in 09.But I think she deserves some kind of justice for what we went through.

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