A Tennessee woman recently filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc., alleging that use of the company’s anti-epileptic drug, Dilantin, caused her diagnosis with permanent cerebellar brain atrophy.

The plaintiff, Rebecca B., says she was prescribed Dilantin back in 2014 as an anti-epileptic treatment. She continued use of the drug until 2019 when she underwent an MRI that showed she has cerebellar atrophy, her lawsuit says. She now suffers from ataxia, and gait and balance problems. These injuries, her lawsuit says, are irreversible, and she will continue suffering these problems for the rest of her life.

According to Rebecca’s lawsuit, her diagnosis with cerebellar brain atrophy was the “direct and proximate result” of Pfizer’s design and manufacture of the drug, along with its failure to warn her about the drug’s risks.

Indeed, Rebecca alleges that Pfizer knew about the link between Dilantin and cerebellar atrophy for decades, and only changed the U.S. label in December 2015, after it had already warned about this risk on the drug’s label in other countries.

Rebecca filed her lawsuit on April 8, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including failure to warn; defective design; fraud, fraudulent concealment, and intentional misrepresentation; breach of express and implied warranties; negligence; and gross negligence, among others.

Dilantin Basics

Dilantin (also known by the generic name phenytoin) is a popular anti-epileptic drug manufactured by Pfizer, Inc., used to reduce seizure activity. Dilantin was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decades ago, back in 1953. Since then, Dilantin has become one of the most widely used anticonvulsant options.

Cerebellar Brain Atrophy

Cerebellar brain atrophy is a severe condition in which the cerebellum (the part of the brain located beneath the cerebrum and behind the top part of the brain stem) deteriorates. Because the cerebellum controls a number of basic functions like coordination, balance, speech, and cognition, deterioration of the cerebellum can lead to serious complications like balance issues, speech problems, memory deficits, and more.

Symptoms of cerebellar atrophy can include a lurching walk, speech that is slurred or slow, memory loss, and rapid eye movement. These problems can dramatically affect basic, everyday tasks, and can irreversibly change people’s lives.

Whether or not symptoms of this condition can be alleviated largely depends on their underlying cause. Sometimes, the effects are permanent, but in other cases may be at least helped by treatment of the underlying issue.

Filing a Dilantin Lawsuit

A growing number of patients like Rebecca are coming forward with litigation after suffering from severe Dilantin side effects, including cerebellar brain atrophy. These lawsuits claim that Pfizer failed to adequately warn American patients and the medical community alike about the risks the company already knew were associated with its medication.

If you or someone you love has suffered from cerebellar atrophy after exposure to Dilantin, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these kinds of health complications, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially in the wake of cerebellar atrophy diagnosis, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

The Dilantin Cerebellar Brain Atrophy Lawsuit is Case No. 1:20-cv-02901, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.