Tylenol Liver Damage Lawsuits Move to MDL

The six-member panel, in approving the centralization, pointed out that “the centralization in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation.”

Since all 27 Tylenol lawsuits relate to allegations that ingesting acetaminophen, specifically over-the-counter Tylenol in various forms, can cause liver injury, centralization will also “eliminate duplicative discovery, prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings, and conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel, and the judiciary,” the JPML said.

The companies involved in the Tylenol liver injury lawsuits, which are mostly directed at Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries McNeill-PPC and McNeill Consumer healthcare, were not happy with the move to multidistrict litigation (MDL), and were not happy with the centralization of cases into Pennsylvania federal court as they sought to keep the cases in the Southern District of Mississippi. The panel, however, noted that “almost all injury litigation involves questions of causation that are case- and plaintiff-specific.”

Despite studies documenting a link between Tylenol and liver damage, the over-the-counter drug is considered by many to be a “safe pill” to take for just about any pain or ailment.

A recent study published online in Liver Transplantation revealed that people with liver failure cause by an acetaminophen overdose have poorer health than patients whose liver failure was caused by other problems. In the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 280 patients who were diagnosed with acute liver failure between 1998 and July 2010.

As early as 2006, researchers from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill found a remarkable effect of acetaminophen when taken as directed for four days.

A 2004 study from the University of Texas, meanwhile, revealed that nearly 500 Americans die yearly from acetaminophen overdoses, with 2,600 hospitalizations and some 56,000 emergency room visits attributed to acetaminophen overdose.

Another potential side effect of Tylenol is Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). This autoimmune reaction may be easier to notice than liver damage because it manifests itself as a severe allergic skin reaction that starts as a simple rash. Tylenol SJS can develop overnight into blisters and burns that cover the entire body. Long-term damage can include blindness, and SJS can even be fatal if not discovered in time.

Both liver damage and SJS are life-threatening and very serious. It is for this reason that hundreds of millions of dollars in Tylenol lawsuit settlements have been awarded to victims of Tylenol side effects and their families.

If you have taken Tylenol and were diagnosed with liver damage or SJS, you might to seek compensation through a Tylenol lawsuit settlement. Visit the Tylenol Liver Damage, Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuit Investigation where you can submit your information for a free case evaluation. A Tylenol injury lawyer will contact you for a complimentary Tylenol lawsuit review if you qualify.

Don’t delay – cases are being filed now in the Tylenol liver damage MDL, In re: Tylenol (Acetaminophen) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, Case MDL No. 2436, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.