Dilantin Lawsuits Steadily Increase With Reports Of SJS & TEN

Dilantin lawsuits alleging that Pfizer's anti-seizure drug caused Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are steadily increasing. Both SJS and TEN, which can lead to blindness, organ damage and death, have been described as "horrendous" and "life threatening" skin burns in which a person's skin sloughs off.

SJS Injuries / TEN Injuries Worse Than 3rd Degree Burns

Dilantin has been on the market since the 1930s. Although primarily used to treat epilepsy, it is also used in hospitals and emergency rooms to prevent seizures following head injuries and to treat severe headaches when traditional medications simply don't work.

Regardless of why Dilantin was prescribed, more and more patients are alleging that they contracted SJS and TEN after use. Here's more on each:

• Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS). SJS has been described as burning patients from the inside out and can be worse than third degree burns. It typically starts with flu-like symptoms, develops into a rash and a burning of the skin, internal organs, eyes and throat.
• Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). TEN, a rare disease, is a more severe version of SJS in which a person's skin is more than 30% burned. Asians and African Americans are thought to be more genetically susceptible to it than Latinos, Caucasians and others.

SJS Lawsuits / TEN Lawsuits Settling

Lawsuits alleging that Pfizer and the eight makers of generic Dilantin such as Mylan Pharmaceuticals and Baxter Healthcare knew about the increased risks of these drugs, failed to warn consumers and resulted in injury or death have been settling out of court. According to SJS / TEN injury lawyers, manufacturers haven't let lawsuits get that far. In fact, Pfizer has already settled several cases for undisclosed amounts. The reason?

Lawyers say that these cases are settling because Pfizer's own medical expert has said that Dilantin causes SJS and TEN and the manufacturer seems to have known about the problem for quite some time. In fact, the company made label changes warning about SJS / TEN injuries in several foreign countries such as the Netherlands, Canada and others where the drug is also sold, but never did the same to warn US citizens.

Filing A Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuit

SJS / TEN can result after taking a variety of common household drugs such as Advil, Ibuprofen and others. If you've been injured, contact a Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawyer to find out the latest on pending litigation and collect the data you need in order to make an informed decision on whether filing a Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuit is right for you.