Jury Awards $63M in Children’s Motrin Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuit

As a result of this tragic event, Samantha Reckis and her family received a huge jury award in the amount of $63 million to compensate them for the medical expenses, pain and suffering, as well as other expenses related to the SJS and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) that Samantha developed simply by taking a very common medication used in thousands of households across the United States.

Samantha reportedly took Children’s Motrin and suffered a severe reaction to the medication at just seven years old. She took the medication to treat a fever but instead of helping her it caused her to develop an allergic reaction that nearly cost the young girl her life and has left her legally blind.

After this terrible experience, Samantha’s family filed a Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuit against the manufacturer of Children’s Motrin and on February 13, 2013 a jury awarded the family a sizeable amount of $63 million. However, this award still needs to be approved by the judge.

According to her lawsuit, Samantha had to be hospitalized several times over several months to undergo surgical procedures to treat her injuries, which included the loss of nearly all her skin. Samantha also experienced liver and lung damage and was unable to walk for even short distances.

Samantha’s SJS lawsuit went to trial in February 2013 in the Plymouth Superior Court against defendant Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Children’s Motrin. One of the many claims in her lawsuit was that Johnson & Johnson did not provide proper warning to the family of the potential side effects that Children’s Motrin can cause.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is such a severe condition that the rash that is developed has been described as the equivalent of third-degree burns. This rash develops into blisters, lesions and, in Samantha’s case, the loss of nearly all of her skin. Samantha was then diagnosed with toxic epidermal necrolysis, which occurs when SJS becomes so severe that it affects more than 30% of the victim’s body.

This is not the only SJS lawsuit filed against Johnson & Johnson. There have been several others and some of those have received sizeable jury awards as well. The Reckis family’s Children’s Motrin Stevens Johnson Syndrome settlement was a huge victory for this family and all of the other families with pending cases.

If you have developed SJS or have a family member who has, it is important to know your legal options.  Please visit the Stevens Johnson (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page for more information about filing your own lawsuit.