Woman Claims Son’s Death Was Caused by Motrin Reaction

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Connecticut resident Amy Batoh is suing McNeil PPC Inc. and Johnson & Johnson for the wrongful death of her son, Kyle Kimball. Batoh alleges that Kimball developed Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) as a direct result of ingesting Motrin.

According to the Motrin lawsuit, on Oct. 3, 2010, Kimball ingested exactly two tablets of Motrin for pain relief. The following morning, he woke up with excruciating pain and swelling his lips, painful blisters on his lower lip, breathing difficulty, and tightness in the throat. Kimball was rushed to the hospital, where he was wrongly diagnosed with Type-I Herpes Simplex Virus and prescribed Acyclovir. When his symptoms worsened, he was transferred to the burn unit of the hospital. He was diagnosed with TEN on Oct. 7, 2010.

Kimball was discharged from the hospital after two weeks, but experienced significant setbacks in his symptoms, which added to his pain and suffering. Despite undergoing extensive treatment after being discharged from the hospital, it did little to relieve the pain throughout his body. These treatments lasted until his passing on Dec. 20, 2011.

According to the Motrin lawsuit, Kimball, Batoh, and their physicians were unaware of this condition being a possible Motrin side effect. There were reportedly no warnings or language to describe the risk of developing Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis or similar conditions such as Stevens Johnson Syndrome on the drug’s label. Diagnostic doctors involved in this case agreed that Kimball suffered from a severe allergic reaction that led to TEN.

Batoh filed a product liability lawsuit, accusing the pharmaceutical companies of being directly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing and marketing a dangerous drug. The charges include negligence, false advertising, concealing information and misrepresenting a product.

Overview of Motrin SJS Complications

Motrin (Ibuprofen) is one of the most popular over-the-counter pain relievers in the United States, and is considered one of the most essential medications for developing countries by the World Health Organization. Unfortunately, Motrin has been associated with triggering a deadly allergic reaction known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), which can progress into TEN. In almost all cases, patients suffering from TEN will either die or suffer permanent side effects. TEN side effects can include:

• Permanent blindness
• Lung damage
• Permanent loss of nail beds
• Scarring of the esophagus

Motrin SJS Lawsuit Update

On Nov. 7, 2013, Johnson & Johnson filed an answer to Batoh’s lawsuit, denying that they had any prior knowledge that this medication could initiate a reaction as severe as SJS or TEN. Furthermore, they also denied responsibility for Kimball’s death based on the small dosage he took of their medication, arguing that his reaction was probably a reaction to different medication. The Motrin lawsuit is still pending.

This Motrin SJS lawsuit is Amy Batoh v. McNeil PPC Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, Case No. 2:13-cv-06268-NS, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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