Stevens Johnson Syndrome can be a destructive and terrifying experience, both for victims and those close to them.

It’s a rare reaction to medication that the skin and can require weeks or months of hospitalization. In some of the more severe cases, it may lead to permanent disfigurement or even death.

The condition’s most characteristic symptom is a Stevens Johnson rash that breaks out over the face and torso and may spread to the rest of the body. Inside these areas of rash, blisters form. As these blisters grow they coalesce into areas of skin that peel away, exposing the sensitive under layer of skin.

Besides Stevens Johnson rash, other symptoms may appear that are similarly destructive. The mucous membranes in the eyes, genitals or digestive tract may become inflamed and develop blisters similar to those on the skin. Hair and nails may also fall out. The patient is also at risk for infection, due to the exposure caused by the peeled-away layers of skin.

Treatment for Stevens Johnson rash can last weeks or even months. Care usually consists of treatment of symptoms and prevention of infection while the body heals itself.

Is Steven Johnson Syndrome Contagious?

It’s not easy to watch a loved one suffer through Stevens Johnson syndrome. The physical harm is visibly disfiguring, and the effects on the victim’s life can lead to effects on their loved one’s lives as well. For those close to a victim, like family members or co-workers, the question may come up: is Steven Johnson syndrome contagious? The answer is no.

Despite its resemblance to some other afflictions that can spread from one person to another, SJS is not contagious. It’s simply one person’s reaction to a certain medication — or in rarer instances, a bacterial infection or some other cause.

So those wondering “Is Steven Johnson syndrome contagious?” can rest easy: SJS doesn’t involve any contagion that’s capable of spreading.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuit Settlement

Fortunately, for most victims of SJS, compensation may be available through a Stevens Johnson syndrome lawsuit. Many cases of SJS can be traceable to a certain medication, and that connection can begin to form the basis for a legal claim.

Some cases of SJS have resolved successfully in a Stevens Johnson syndrome lawsuit settlement, without having to go through the ordeal of a trial. The dollar amounts of those settlements aren’t always made public.

But if the results of claims that went to trial are a reliable indicator, a Stevens Johnson syndrome lawsuit settlement could be worth a considerable amount of money. One plaintiff in Pennsylvania was awarded $10 million in damages after bringing evidence that her SJS, which later progressed into Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, caused substantial and lasting damage to her eyes. And in April 2015 a $50 million judgment was upheld on appeal for a young girl whose SJS left her legally blind and unable to ever have children.

In the latter case, the plaintiff’s parents also received $2.5 million each for loss of consortium, a type of claim that compensates a victim’s loved ones for the damage done to their personal relationship.