An Oklahoma couple recently filed an Avelox lawsuit against Merck & Co, alleging that the drug caused serious antibiotic nerve damage.

According to the lawsuit, Avelox is defective, lacking proper warnings, and ultimately “dangerous to human health.” The lawsuit also targets Levaquin, a similar drug, which is sold by Johnson & Johnson.

The plaintiff, Darris L., began taking Levaquin in December 2007, and later Avelox in January 2008, both at the direction of his doctor.

Afterward, the plaintiff began experiencing serious and debilitating symptoms, and was later diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy.

The lawsuit alleges that his antibiotic nerve damage was a direct result of taking Avelox and Levaquin.

Avelox (moxifloxacin) and Levaquin (levofloxacin) are types of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, which are used to treat bacterial infections. The lawsuit claims that other fluoroquinolones have been associated with serious side effects for a long time, some even being removed from the U.S. drug market.

Avelox was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999, and has since become a huge seller for its manufacturers.

In 2007, Avelox brought in international sales of $697.3 million. However, the lawsuit alleges that scientific studies have shown a significant link between Avelox and the increased risk of antibiotic nerve damage like peripheral neuropathy.

Levaquin has also been widely popular since its FDA approval in 1996. In 2006, it became the number one prescribed antibiotic worldwide, and even accounted for 6.5% of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson’s total revenue in 2007. The lawsuit claims, however, that despite its success, Levaquin has also been linked with peripheral neuropathy.

Indeed, studies have linked Avelox and Levaquin to a variety of antibiotic nerve damage, including peripheral neuropathy, aortic dissection, and aortic aneurysm.

Those who take fluoroquinolones may be as much as twice as likely to develop neuropathy, while they may also have up to a 143% increased risk of either aortic dissection or aortic aneurysm.

The FDA, after becoming aware of these risks, issued a warning in August 2013 about the link between fluoroquinolones and antibiotic nerve damage. The warning noted that antibiotic nerve damage may occur as soon as within one week of taking the medication.

According to the lawsuit, the manufacturers either knew or should have known about these drugs’ link with antibiotic nerve damage, yet failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community.

The Avelox lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, fraudulent concealment, loss of consortium, and several others.

Kinds of Antibiotic Nerve Damage

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord are either damaged or destroyed.

This antibiotic nerve damage can interrupt communication between the brain and the body, impairing muscle movement, preventing normal feeling in the limbs, and even causing severe pain.

An aortic aneurysm is the unusual bulging or growth of the aorta. This can occur anywhere along the aorta, between the heart and down to the abdomen, but are most common in the abdomen.

Aortic dissection, or an aortic tear, occurs when the inner layer of the aorta tears, which allows blood to enter the aortic wall, weakening the wall. This can be fatal, through heart attack, stroke, paralysis, or kidney failure.

If you or someone you love has suffered from antibiotic nerve damage like peripheral neuropathy, aortic dissection, or aortic aneurysm after using a fluoroquinolone like Levaquin or Avelox, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

The Avelox Antibiotic Nerve Damage Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-cv-4088, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.