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Lawsuits Filed Over Fatal Dilantin SJS/TENS Injuries
By Mike Holter
Many pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drugs can trigger Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), including Dilantin — an anti-seizure medication that has been linked to numerous cases of patients developing SJS and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). Over the past two years, several Dilantin SJS/TEN victims have sued the drug makers for failing to warn about the risk of developing the life-threatening illnesses. At least two of these Dilantin SJS lawsuits were filed on behalf of patients who died as the result of their injuries.
Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a horrific allergic reaction to medication that causes a large rash and blisters to appear on the body, as well inside the mouth and throat, preventing the patient from eating or swallowing. SJS can also affect the eyes, causing swelling, crusting, ulcers, blindness and permanent sensitivity to light. SJS blisters can cause the skin to slough off in large sheets, giving the appearance and feeling of serious burns. Another form of SJS is Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome, a potentially deadly skin disease that causes large areas of the skin to detach from the body, exposing the patient to bacteria and infection. About 5% to 15% of patients with Stevens Johnson Syndrome die, while 30% to 40% of TEN patients die. At least three Dilantin SJS lawsuits have been filed in the past two years on behalf of patients who died from Stevens Johnson Syndrome allegedly caused by taking Dilantin.
The first Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuit was filed in 2010 by three Plaintiffs on behalf of a deceased relative who died as the result of SJS, allegedly caused by ingesting Dilantin. Although the Dilantin injuries occurred nearly a decade before the lawsuit was filed, their Dilantin lawyer claims the Plaintiffs only recently became aware of SJS being a potential Dilantin side effect, and therefore the statute of limitations should not apply. According to the Dilantin SJS lawsuit, Dilantin is one of “the most dangerous and lethal drugs that causes deaths from SJS/TENS.”
A second Dilantin SJS/TENS lawsuit was filed the same year by the parents of a 9-year-old girl, Jesse Nichols Jacobson, who died from Dilantin SJS after taking the medication for just one month. The family settled with Pfizer for $3.78 million.
A third Dilantin SJS lawsuit was filed last year by the husband of Bertha Coney, an African-American woman prescribed Dilantin in November 2007 for treatment of seizures. Bertha’s husband, Theotis Coney, alleges in the Dilantin lawsuit that his wife developed a severe skin rash in February 2008 following her treatment with Dilantin, which was diagnosed as Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome, “potentially fatal diseases known to develop in African-American patients on Dilantin,” the lawsuit says. Bertha died of these complications a month later. Mr. Coney sought damages for loss of consortium related to the wrongful death of his wife, as well as for failure to warn, strict liability for defective design/manufacture, negligence, fraudulent concealment, breach of warranty, and more.
An estimated 100 Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuits have been filed against the drug’s manufacturers for failing to warn the public about the risk of Dilantin side effects, including SJS and TENS.
If you or a loved one developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis or another skin reaction after taking Dilantin or another medication, you may have a case to seek compensation for your injuries. A Dilantin injury attorney can provide a free consultation about your case to see if you’re a good fit to file a Dilantin lawsuit or Dilantin class action lawsuit.
For more information about filing a Dilantin lawsuit or Dilantin class action lawsuit, go to the Stevens Johnson (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page for more information about your legal rights. While you’re there, submit your information, or your loved one’s, to Dilantin attorneys actively investigating all claims of Dilantin side effects, including SJS and TENS. You will not be charged for this initial consultation. The Dilantin lawyers working this investigation do not get paid unless you win or settle.
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