A girl and her family who filed an SJS lawsuit have been awarded $63 million by a Massachusetts jury for the life-threatening reaction the child suffered, including blindness, after taking Johnson & Johnson’s Children’s Motrin in 2003.

Samantha Reckis, just 7 years old at the time, took the medication to reduce a fever. The ibuprofen allegedly induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) – also known as Lyell’s Syndrome – an often fatal form of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) that caused her to lose her eyesight and 90 percent of her skin.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis causes large areas of the skin to detach from the body, as well as lesions in the mucous membranes, exposing patients to infections, sepsis and death. The infection inflamed Samantha’s respiratory system and left her with just 20 percent lung capacity.

Since taking the Children’s Motrin – which Samantha had used before without incident – she has undergone 19 surgeries, including brain surgery to relieve pressure. The Plymouth, Mass. jury awarded Samantha $50 million and her parents each an additional $6.5 million.

In addition to Motrin, other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have also been linked to toxic epidermal necrolysis, as have certain anti-seizure drugs like Dilantin, anti-gout medications, the antibiotic Zithromax (azithromycin), and other medications. Hepatitis, herpes, influenza, HIV and typhoid have also been known to trigger Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis, which inflames the mucus membranes and eyes and is “marked by a rash that burns off the outer layer of skin,” has a 40 percent mortality rate. It typically surfaces after a week or two of fever followed by a rash covering much of the body. The top layer of the skin fills with fluid deposited by the body’s immune system, usually as a result of a negative reaction to an antibiotic, before the skin then begins to sag and can be peeled off in large sheets, leaving the patient vulnerable to infections.

Samantha’s lawyer, Brad Henry, told the Boston Globe that the infection inflamed Samantha’s throat, mouth, eyes, esophagus, intestinal tract, respiratory system and reproductive system, forcing physicians to put her in a coma.

“It’s like having your skin burned off of you,” he said. “Imagine your worst sunburn times 1,000. It’s an absolutely devastating condition.”

Henry argued at the 2013 trial that Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn consumers of the potential life-threatening reactions to Children’s Motrin, pointing out that the bottle had only had a small technical warning that made no mention of potential adverse side effects.

Johnson & Johnson maintained that the medication was “labeled appropriately” and is “a safe and effective treatment option for minor aches and pains and fever,” when used appropriately.

“A number of medicines, including ibuprofen, have been associated with allergic reactions and as noted on the label, consumers should stop using medications and immediately contact a healthcare professional if they have an allergic reaction,” the company said in a statement.

The family characterized the jury verdict as “an historic day” for consumer safety.

“Drug companies like Johnson & Johnson can no longer hide behind an approval by the overworked FDA as an excuse not to warn consumers about known, devastating drug reactions like SJS and TEN,” they said in a statement. “Parents like us have a right to know.”