A jury and an Ohio appeals court have agreed to bring a Lamictal side effects lawsuit to a close with a $1 million verdict against a pediatrician accused of negligently prescribing Lamictal to a young child, leading to injuries.

According to the Lamictal side effects lawsuit, Ohio pediatrician Dr. William Knobeloch of American Health Network Inc. negligently prescribed the anti-epilepsy drug Lamictal to treat a 6-year-old child’s pediatric bipolar disorder. However, Lamictal has not been FDA-approved for this kind of use. On top of this, the child’s mother claims that she did not provide her consent for this usage.

As a result of this usage of the drug, the Lamictal side effects lawsuit alleges, the child developed Stevens Johnson syndrome, a serious and even life-threatening rash that involves painful sores.

“There is competent and credible evidence from which the jury could find that Dr. Knobeloch did not disclose any information [about Lamictal],” the appeals panel wrote. “From [the mother’s] testimony, the jury could conclude that a reasonable person in [her] position would have decided against using Lamictal had any risks and dangers been disclosed prior to the therapy.”

The Ohio appeals court affirmed a $1.03 million award to the family granted by the jury.

Basics of Lamictal

Lamictal (generic name lamotrigine) is an anticonvulsant manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. Lamictal was granted FDA approval in 1994, and has since become a widely-used treatment for epilepsy in adults and children alike. Lamictal has been approved for use in patients two years and older.

Lamictal Rash Symptoms

Despite the popularity of Lamictal, the medication has been associated with a number of major side effects. Lamictal side effects include blurred vision, chest pain, sleeping problems, dizziness, fatigue, head pain, confusion, and more. Patients may experience even more severe drug reactions to Lamictal, including Lamictal rash symptoms.

In fact, according to clinical trials, around 10 percent of Lamictal patients end up experiencing some form of Lamictal rash symptoms. In many cases, Lamictal rash symptoms may go away on their own, but in others, these rashes may indicate a more serious or permanent condition.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a skin condition that attacks the skin and mucous membranes, leading to blisters and burns. SJS rashes can lead to intense pain, eye problems, secondary skin infection, and internal organ damage. SJS affects about one in 1,000 adults who take Lamictal, or one tenth of one percent. However, this severe complication is much more common in children, and affects about one in 50 children taking Lamictal.

Patients may first experience Lamictal rash symptoms days after taking Lamictal, or weeks thereafter.

Filing a Lamictal Side Effects Lawsuit

If you or someone you love have suffered from Lamictal rash symptoms leading to conditions like Stevens Johnson Syndrome, HLH, or others, you may be able to file a Lamictal side effects lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these conditions, or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses and lost wages.