While an award of $10 million will help cover some of the costs associated with a life-threatening injury, this family from Philadelphia wishes the injury had never occurred in the first place. A jury has decided the family should be compensated after their now 13-year-old daughter suffered a dangerous reaction to the drug Children’s Motrin brand ibuprofen. The girl was given the over-the-counter drug when she was 3-and-a-half and almost immediately a rash appeared on her body and around her eyes. Then burns and blisters formed on her body. She was blinded in one eye and was taken to a burn union at Shriners Burn Hospital in Galveston, Texas where it determined her reaction was an allergic one to Children’s Motrin.
Florida Product Liability Law
A product can be defective in its design, its manufacture or its labeling. In this case the Children’s Motrin label did not mention the girl’s eventual diagnosis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome (TENS). Stevens-Johnson compromises the mucus membranes in the mouth, cornea, urethra, vagina and rectum. TENS is more severe and affects a larger percentage of the membranes. The disease is rare, affecting about one in one million, or eight to one million people. The girls has suffered seizures, eye and lung infections, lost the majority of her skin, suffered brain damage and lost about half of her lung capacity.
The lawyers for the family pointed out that the prescription version of Children’s Motrin has warnings. It is the obligation of a product manufacturer to inform the medical community and patients about the potential for harm, but that didn’t happen in the over-the-counter version. If the family had known, they would have discontinued the medication.
If you or a loved one has suffered at the hands of a product that did not contain an adequate warning, there may be avenues for recovery of your family’s medical expenses. Let an experienced Florida failure to warn attorney help guide you through the complexities of these cases.
Sources: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/05/26/philadelphia-jury-awards-10m-to-girl-in-motrin-drug-lawsuit/ and http://www.lexisnexis.com/community/tortslaw/blogs/productsliabilityandtoxictortsblog/archive/2011/05/20/10-million-awarded-to-girl-in-children-s-motrin-case.aspx
