As Dilantin injury lawsuits heat up around the nation, three new victims have joined the litigation against Pfizer. Each of the Dilantin lawsuit plaintiffs developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) or lost someone to SJS, a rare but deadline skin disease that burns the skin from the inside out. If it’s not caught early, SJS can easily be fatally and Pfizer has already been sued for the death of a nine-year-old girl who got SJS from Dilantin. Two of these three Dilantin sufferers survived, but not without plenty of pain and suffering.When SJS first develops, it looks like a harmless rash. It then turns into blisters, usually clustered around the groin, mouth, nose and eyes, but that might not be enough for a correct diagnosis. After the blisters appear, it’s only a matter of hours before the SJS can cause permanent blindness, unmanageable pain and even death. The latest victims are from New York and Louisiana.
The Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome Survivors
Shirley Johnson and Michael Shepherd are the “lucky” ones who survived their Dilantin SJS attack. Their SJS developed into the even worse Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), which is deadlier than SJS. Both are skin disorders, but TEN is more severe and leads to rapid shedding of the skin and fingernails. Once a person is diagnosed with TEN, they’re lucky to survive, especially with their vision intact.
A person has TEN when SJS has spread to more than 30 percent of their body. At this point, the skin literally begins to slough off from their body, and doctors have to rush to keep the Dilantin victims alive. It might seem like this could be prevented if SJS is caught early, and sometimes that’s true. However, there are numerous horror stories of SJS victims unable to get a correct diagnosis and being sent home because the disease is so rare.
Dilantin Death
The third person joining the Dilantin lawsuits is Lyndora Thomas Taylor, whose husband died from SJS on New Year’s Eve in 2009. John Taylor’s damage from Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome was so severe that he didn’t survive it.
Most people who take Dilantin have epilepsy or are at risk of other seizures, and have no choice but to seek medication for these challenges. Treating seizures is difficult, and many doctors prescribe Dilantin in the hopes that it will be easier for their patients if they experienced problems with past prescriptions.
According to the Dilantin lawsuits, Pfizer was aware of the risk of SJS with Dilantin but didn’t provide enough warnings. SJS is so rare that few doctors have even seen it in person. That makes it tricky to diagnose at best.
File a Dilantin Lawsuit
If you or a loved was diagnosed with SJS or TEN and Dilantin was part of your regimen, you probably have a Dilantin legal claim. If a loved one passed from SJS and was being treated for seizures, you also may qualify.
Get to know more at the Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. After you submit your information, you’ll be contacted by a lawyer if you have a case for a complimentary Dilantin claim review.
Updated June 25th, 2013
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