The epilepsy medication Lamictal has been suggested to cause severe skin reactions in users. Some have developed the dangerous auto immune disease called Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS

Lamictal was approved to treat epilepsy in children and adults as well as bipolar disorder in adults. It can be given to children as young as 2 years old.

While Lamictal was designed to help people with severe conditions, some have claimed that the drug just caused serious side effects, which the drug company failed to warn against, including Lamictal SJS.

What is SJS?

SJS is a severe skin disorder that can lead to skin loss. It begins as flu-like symptoms and a rash. The rash then worsens and turns into blisters that can cover the skin, mouth, nose, eyes, throat, and other mucous membranes.

Lamictal SJS can become so severe that patients begin to shed skin. This leaves the body open to secondary infections as well as sepsis. SJS patients are often left with permanent scars and may have organ damage or become blind. SJS patients must be immediately hospitalized.

SJS can cover up to 30 percent of the skin. If the blisters and rash covers more than that, then the diagnosis changes to Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or TEN. TEN is considerably more dangerous than SJS. While roughly one-in-20 SJS cases are deadly, TEN has a mortality rate of between 30 percent and 40 percent.

TEN patients are often treated in burn wards due to the similarity of TEN side effects and skin loss to fire wounds. Some patients have had 90 percent of their skin damaged by the terrifying condition.

SJS and TEN are both almost always allergic reactions to a medication. That is why many people have pressed drug companies to include SJS warnings on their drug warning label. While Lamictal may only cause a small percentage of its users to develop the potentially deadly disease, the severity of SJS and TEN has caused many to be concerned about whether or not the epilepsy drug is safe to use.

Lamictal SJS Lawsuits

With more and more drugs being investigated for SJS side effects, countless SJS lawsuits have been filed against drug manufacturers for failing to adequately warn against SJS or TEN. SJS lawsuits have claimed that drug manufacturers were aware or should have been aware that their drug caused SJS.

Lamictal SJS lawsuits may be filed against the drug manufacturer and help the victim win compensation for medical treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.