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Family awarded $63M in Motrin lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20130213/BIZ/130213035/Family-awarded-63M-Motrin-lawsuit-against-Johnson-Johnson-
BOSTON — Health care company Johnson & Johnson has been told to pay a Massachusetts teenager and her parents $63 million after she suffered a life-threatening drug reaction and lost most of her skin when she took a children's pain reliever nearly a decade ago.
A Plymouth Superior Court jury Wednesday decided Johnson & Johnson and its McNeil-PPC Inc. subsidiary should pay Samantha Reckis and her parents a total of $109 million, including interest.
Family attorney Brad Henry says Samantha was 7 when she was given Motrin brand ibuprofen. She suffered a rare side effect known as toxic epidermal necrolysis and lost 90 percent of her skin and was blinded.
A spokeswoman for New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. says the girl's family has suffered a tragedy but the company disagrees with the verdict and is "considering additional legal options."
BOSTON — Health care company Johnson & Johnson has been told to pay a Massachusetts teenager and her parents $63 million after she suffered a life-threatening drug reaction and lost most of her skin when she took a children's pain reliever nearly a decade ago.
A Plymouth Superior Court jury Wednesday decided Johnson & Johnson and its McNeil-PPC Inc. subsidiary should pay Samantha Reckis and her parents a total of $109 million, including interest.
Family attorney Brad Henry says Samantha was 7 when she was given Motrin brand ibuprofen. She suffered a rare side effect known as toxic epidermal necrolysis and lost 90 percent of her skin and was blinded.
A spokeswoman for New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. says the girl's family has suffered a tragedy but the company disagrees with the verdict and is "considering additional legal options."
Exactly. And I just read through all the posts and did repeat what you said didn't I...lol. We are very much on the same page. I just cannot see anyway this company should be liable.
And in my son's case, he had never been prescribed this before so no one could know. But I do take it upon myself to know possible side effects, and how to recognize them, so i knew to take him in when the hives broke out. And now both my husband and I will keep the name of the drug written down and with us just in case. Plus, our healthcare is all computerized, so it's in his computerized file that he is not to have it.
Motrin helps more people then it hurts I am sure. You just cannot guard against everything. I really do think this lawsuit is very very wrong.
And in my son's case, he had never been prescribed this before so no one could know. But I do take it upon myself to know possible side effects, and how to recognize them, so i knew to take him in when the hives broke out. And now both my husband and I will keep the name of the drug written down and with us just in case. Plus, our healthcare is all computerized, so it's in his computerized file that he is not to have it.
Motrin helps more people then it hurts I am sure. You just cannot guard against everything. I really do think this lawsuit is very very wrong.
You said the same thing I did.. it's not the fault of the manufacturer, or a doctor, that the person had an adverse reaction. They can't stop making OTC products, just because "someone" might have a reaction...... Whenever we buy anything OTC or even a script, we have to understand that there are risks.
I think this kind of lawsuit is part of what drives up our medical costs.
In the case of your son, with the allergic reaction to the antibiotic, you'll know to tell them, when they ask about allergies to med, that he's allergic to that med. I agree that there should be no law suit in that case, because you didn't know your son was allergic..... next time, you will know and tell them he can't have that........
IMO - anything taken OTC is "at your own risk"; it's your responsibility to read and follow labels. And sometimes, it doesn't work out.
As in the case of MrsP's friend...... whole other story and should result in a "large" settlement, because the pharmacy screwed up big time, by dispensing the wrong med...... but of course, even that doesn't excuse us from making sure that the med dispensed is really the med prescribed.
I look at my scripts and compare them to what the pharmacy is dispensing.
I think this kind of lawsuit is part of what drives up our medical costs.
In the case of your son, with the allergic reaction to the antibiotic, you'll know to tell them, when they ask about allergies to med, that he's allergic to that med. I agree that there should be no law suit in that case, because you didn't know your son was allergic..... next time, you will know and tell them he can't have that........
IMO - anything taken OTC is "at your own risk"; it's your responsibility to read and follow labels. And sometimes, it doesn't work out.
As in the case of MrsP's friend...... whole other story and should result in a "large" settlement, because the pharmacy screwed up big time, by dispensing the wrong med...... but of course, even that doesn't excuse us from making sure that the med dispensed is really the med prescribed.
I look at my scripts and compare them to what the pharmacy is dispensing.
If a company is negligent such as the Pharmacy MrsP talks about, then sue them and they should pay. But to suffer a bizarre side effect to a medication and get sued? No, I'm not ok with that. That is not the companies fault..they were not negligent in my opinion. I get why the family is so upset, but I cannot agree with this verdict.
My son was given an antibiotic on the weekend and had an allergic reaction to it. It happens. We now know he is not to be prescribed this medication again. But I am not going to sue the Dr. or the company that produces the antibiotic. Most people can take it without issue...it's not their fault he is one of the few that cannot.
My son was given an antibiotic on the weekend and had an allergic reaction to it. It happens. We now know he is not to be prescribed this medication again. But I am not going to sue the Dr. or the company that produces the antibiotic. Most people can take it without issue...it's not their fault he is one of the few that cannot.
There are inherent risks to everything we do, say, eat, and or take. I'm torn on this too, but damn... Perhaps you go with the name brand stuff because of reputation and think its going to be okay? Oh man....
This is crazy. I am kind of torn too..I guess in the end the decision is one I can live with. If that is what was needed for closure for all parties involved then so be it...
My girlfriend was once given cancer medication at her Pharmacy instead of her Pain Medication....Quick True Story. She dropped off her Prescription to a well known pharmacy. She had just had foot surgery. Now ALL of her information on the label was correct. However, the medication was the wrong one. She took it for 5 days and then she started to loose her hair, she lost 35lbs and was REALLY sick. They found out that the prescription she was taking was actually a new FDA approved chemotherapy pill for cancer patients..Someone in that pharmacy dropped the ball. It is still in litigation. I'm sure they will settle just like this case here..It just ***** that things like this happen....
My girlfriend was once given cancer medication at her Pharmacy instead of her Pain Medication....Quick True Story. She dropped off her Prescription to a well known pharmacy. She had just had foot surgery. Now ALL of her information on the label was correct. However, the medication was the wrong one. She took it for 5 days and then she started to loose her hair, she lost 35lbs and was REALLY sick. They found out that the prescription she was taking was actually a new FDA approved chemotherapy pill for cancer patients..Someone in that pharmacy dropped the ball. It is still in litigation. I'm sure they will settle just like this case here..It just ***** that things like this happen....
This is terrible but no way should this judgement stand. I am split on the issue though. On one hand I have no problem with the family be awarded some money, on the other hand taking anything there is a risk involved no matter what.
Even if this was not disclosed it is still something that it is a risk. I took a medication that once said possible death. But I still took it.
Even if this was not disclosed it is still something that it is a risk. I took a medication that once said possible death. But I still took it.
My mother suffered Stevens Johnson Syndrome from an antibiotic. Six months in the burn ward with no skin to speak of. Back ten years ago they did not warn you of possible serious side effects.
So yes, unless it was specified that this could happen to her she certainly has a right to sue. NOW they say things like this can happen but years ago, even though they knew, they did not.
So yes, unless it was specified that this could happen to her she certainly has a right to sue. NOW they say things like this can happen but years ago, even though they knew, they did not.
Tragic as it is, why should the manufacturer have to pay for such a reaction? All of us can have an adverse reaction to any OTC (or for that matter, prescription) product, but is the manufacturer responsible for our reaction? They can't control how our body is going to react, at any given time. What if I take an aspirin and suddenly start getting nosebleeds? Can I really sue the manufacturer for that? It's not their fault my body reacted as it did, unless it could be proved that there was an inconsistency in the batch of aspirin I took.
In a way, to me, this ranks right there with the person who ordered coffee at Mickey D's and sued because they spilled and the coffee was hot....... duhh.
In a way, to me, this ranks right there with the person who ordered coffee at Mickey D's and sued because they spilled and the coffee was hot....... duhh.
WOAH!....
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